The Things We Leave Behind
by Saismaat
Summary: Jack grows up happy, healthy, and with a dog. Riddick sleeps well. Until the day Jack leaves Helios.
1. Towers

**Chapter 1: Towers**

I fucking hate this room.

It's all alone on top of Abu's little mansion. Light and airy with a door that doesn't lock and two fucking huge windows that pretend to. Abu's practically staked the girl out for monsters.

I hate this room. But Jack's hopeful. She's standing in the middle with this half grin on her face. "It's huge!"

"Yeah," I grumble. She gives me that sidelong look of hers that says she thinks I'm full of shit. I feel myself grin. Clamp it down. "Fuckin' palatial." I glare at the butterflies dancing out the east window. That one's not so bad, I guess; you'd have to free climb up the front of the house in full view of the street. I can make that harder. But I really fucking hate the west window. It opens right into a big fucking oak tree in the back yard outside I could stroll right up and in without breaking a sweat.

I sit down on her bed. Soft, just like she likes. Holy man got really huffy with me when I told him to make it soft. Holy man hates that we've been sharing a bed. But I guess he listened to me. She bounces down beside me, lays down, then pops back up "This is _nice._"

Better than any bed we shared. Yeah. I run my hands over my head. "You're a lucky girl."

"Don't I know it." She leans against me. Oh what the fuck. I put my arm around her, pull her close. We sit like that for about four heartbeats. Finally, she can't bear it. "I'm gonna miss you. You . . . figure out when you're goin'?"

"Soon." I stand abruptly, walk across the room, glare, again, at the butterflies dancing outside, feeling impot—feeling restless. "Gotta do something about these fuckin' windows first."

Fucking kid, she's got tears in her eyes. But her voice is clear and strong, so I pretend I don't notice. "What, afraid I'm gonna crawl down the wall and find trouble?"

I snort. "Yeah. Something like that. Escape your little princess tower. Some nice strong bars should stop that."

She snorts right back at me. _Christ_, I'm gonna miss her.

* * *

I fuck around for about a week, finding things to do. Making friends with all the neighborhood dogs. That's paid off before. Making the house a little more secure. Making myself a back door through the system. That's paid off too, a time or two. Making sure the holy man's real clear on the deal. He takes care of the girl. He makes sure she's warm and schooled and keeps up her self defense training and gets citizenship and is fucking safe. As long as she's a kid, I don't want her going off world; I don't want her seeing a merc; I don't want her ever seeing a convict. He nods a lot.

She'll be going to this school, starting tomorrow. It's dark and quiet now. Just like me. Big scary guy, stalking through the halls, glaring at lockers. I feel ridiculous.

I want her here. I want her in these halls, being a kid, not this thing she's had to be. Becoming something worth being. Not what she'll become under my thumb. It's as safe as houses, this school, according to the police reports. Can't smell much blood, but I find the places where the kids fuck, out of the way spots that make me itchy. I remember fucking girls against walls like these walls; their legs wrapped around my waists, their backs hard and arched against the walls, helpless, me, cock deep and pants barely down.

I have a bad moment, thinking of Jack against one dark and lonely wall. Someone fucked there today, and I'm dead sure there's been a rape or many in that wall's time. Lure 'em there, keep 'em quiet, leave no marks, and chances are, no one will ever breathe a word.

I stare at that wall for a very long time, thinkin' how good it would feel to snap the neck of some fucker fucking her. My fists are clenched so hard they hurt. Finally shake it off, headed back to Abu's little castle. Slip up the oak tree, ease into her little princess tower. She doesn't wake up. Gotta get bars on this window. I kneel down beside her, lean in close, breathe her in.

She's dreaming. I can see her eyeballs moving under closed lids; smell the adrenaline and dopamine. breathe it in. She's fighting something in her dream; she's alternately afraid and happy.

I like it. I like it a lot. I wait for the dream to climax and fade. It takes a long time. Wake her just as she's relaxing out of the dream, exhaling into her face. Her eyes drift open, lock on to mine. She goes alert. "Riddick? Do we have to go?"

There's enough hope in that voice it hurts. I grunt. "No, kid. Just – just checked out your school."

She starts to sit up. I put a hand on her chest, keep her down, enjoying how it makes her heart race. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah." I'm gazing down at her. It's making her nervous. I grin. "People fuck there." She flushes scarlet.

"That a problem?" she asks, archly.

I grunt again. "Depends."

"On what?"

I let my voice drop. "On whether they're fucking you."

She flushes even darker. "Jesus, Riddick. How is that any of your business? Especially since you're leaving me."

The bitterness in her voice hits me like spit. I rock back, close my eyes. breathe slow and deliberate like. Keep my hand where it is. She gets more and more anxious. Finally, I whisper, "I'm not an idiot, Jack. Someone fucked you. That fucks you up. When you're . . . too young."

"You woke me up to tell me this?"

I exhale a long time. "Seemed worth sayin'."

She blinks a few times. Finally, her voice small, "yeah. I know. You wake me up 'cause you're leaving tonight?"

I shake my head. "Still got those bars to get on your window. Any asshole could just slip in here."

She rolls her eyes. "Yeah. Any asshole. You're really obsessed with that, you know."

Am I? I think about that for several heartbeats. "Never had a kid sister before."

She flinches. Kinda surprises me. Thought she'd like that. I let her go, sit down heavily on the floor. I take my shoes off. She watches me, strangely tense. I sigh.

"Scoot over," I say, velvet. She does. I crawl into bed, still dressed. Wrap my arms around her. "Just don't want anything to happen to you."

"Then you should take me with you," she says, softly.

I grunt. "I want something," I whisper.

"Yeah?"

I feel silly. But I push through, makin' my voice low and probably entirely too sexy. "I want you to be worth dyin' for."

She tries to jerk away, her little heart pounding. I keep her tight against me. "What?"

"Lots of folks died for you. Be worth it. Do good things. Save puppies. Be – good."

"Jesus, Riddick. You're asking me to be a hero?"

I shrug, irritated. "Maybe. You got something better to do?"

"Come with you."

I'm suddenly so tired I'm not thinkin' clear. "You'll get raped. Killed."

"You're a piece of work, you know," she whispers, her voice rougher than I like. "In a girl's bed, talking about her getting raped and murdered?"

I snort. "Just call me Mr. Sunshine. Kid, I'm serious. Be a good person. Do good things."

She's quiet. Not asleep, just quiet. This time, I break the quiet. "And I don't want you fallin' for a killer."

She sighs again. "Seriously, Riddick, what's this sudden interest in my nonexistent love life?"

"I won't be there to break the guy's neck." I brush two fingers over her soft throat. She shivers against me. "I stood in a place where a girl got fucked today in this shiny new school of yours."

"So?"

"Against a wall. I've done that. Legs around my waist, her back against the wall . . ." She shivers and I like it way too much. "Arched. Helpless. . ." my voice wanders into the darkness. I didn't mean to be having this conversation.

"Was it rape?" she asks me, a deadness in her voice that snaps through me. I try to remember. Maybe it was, a time or two. I remember lips under my hand; keeping the girl quiet. I remember someone cumming, spasming, helpless in the air. I remember a body sliding down the wall . . .

She's getting upset. "Was it?" She's pulling away again. I know I should let her. I don't.

"No," I say, low. "Just know it happens. Go to sleep, kid."

* * *

She goes to school, comes back unfucked and happy several times. Every night, I teach her something. Teaching her to break holds, teaching her to break knees. Tonight was special. Showed her what to do if her hands are cuffed behind her, how to dislocate her thumb and slip out of the cuffs; if that don't work, how to dislocate her shoulders, get those hands in front. I never hurt her that much before. There's a part of me that hates it. There's a nasty part of me that likes it, seeing her do this horrible thing 'cause I want her to. There's another part of me that's proud of her, stupidly proud. Dangerous.

I almost cave over and over, ask her if she wants to come with me. But I don't. I play big boy. When we're done, I rub her joints until she's boneless. Follow her back to her princess tower with a bottle of whisky and two tiny coffee cups to use as shot glasses. Pour one for me, one for her. We've never done this before. Her eyes are big.

I clink her glass, down the shot wordlessly. Poor myself another. She hesitates, then takes a sip. Shudders theatrically. I grin, run my hand over her short hair.

She's not dumb. "You're leaving."

"Yeah. Tomorrow."

She takes another sip. "Stay with me tonight?"

Abu's gonna be pissed. I'd been a good boy, all but that one night, sleeping in the little room at the bottom of her spiral stairs. But what the fuck. Not like I'll ever see her again, if things go right. "Yeah. Gotta talk to your holy man first. I'll be back."

She finishes the shot, puts it down. Gives me one of those half hugs. "Tuck me in?"

I do. Kiss her on the forehead. Sit beside her quiet for the two minutes it takes her to fall down into the sleep of the just. Turn off the light as I leave, don't quite close the door.

Abu's in his study. "Heading out tomorrow," I tell him.

He nods, seriously, trying not to look happy. "Do you have everything you need?"

I stare at him, surprised he'd ask. "Yeah," I say finally. "Think so. We're clear about the girl?"

He smiles, wistfully. "She will be well cared for."

"Best make sure of it."

He swallows. "You are still intending to disappear into the cold?"

I nod. "Least for a while. But I might swing by here again some time."

He nods again, looking fretful. "Be careful."

"You too." Our eyes meet. It makes me feel funny. "You don't tell no one you have her, right? Her folks died in the crash and we leave it at that, right?"

He sighs, looks shifty at me. "Riddick . . . if her family is looking for her, I need to let them know she's safe."

I grunt. "Anything happens to her, I won't be happy. She's runnin' from something. Don't want it to find her."

He still looks fretful. This is the other thing that drives me crazy, that he'll send her away. Send her back. Send her somewhere I'll never find her –

I thrust the last thought away. Might as well just take her if that's how I'm gonna roll. "If you don't like the deal, say the word. You'll never either of us again." I pause, thoughtfully. "One way or another."

He swallowed. "I understand," he says. "She will be treated like a princess. Nothing bad will happen to her."

I don't like it. He's holding out on me, I know he is. But I will gut him slowly if he doesn't keep her safe, and I think he knows that too.

I finish packing. Don't have much. Leave a couple of shivs for Jack. One's stupid; carved from bones while we were on the skiff and since I didn't have much too do. I made it pretty, gave it a nice sheath. Won't keep an edge for long but she loves it. Wore it like a necklace 'till Abu figured out what it was. I leave it on her dresser, crawl into bed with her, one last time.


	2. Under the Merciless Stars

**Chapter 2: Under the Merciless Stars**

Her big sister was pushing her on a swing. First, the yard dropped away beneath her. Then the city. Then the planet. Then she was back in the yard, laughing deliriously. Her sister pushed again, hard, and this time she was so close to the sun she could feel its heat. "Higher!" she demanded. Her sister pushed again, and this time she was flying right towards the sun. Jack laughed, flung up her hands to protect her eyes, hit herself in the face, and woke up.

The room was full of a soft morning light and Riddick was slipping out of bed so quietly she'd almost slept through it. She sat up abruptly.

"Hey," she said, slightly accusingly.

"Mornin'." He was stretching easily, impossibly. Rolling his neck so far she was afraid it would break off. Not for the first time, she wondered just how human he really was.

"You--" _You sneaking away? _She stopped herself from saying it out loud. There was an awkward silence.

He took pity on her, rolling his head the other way. "What, Jack?"

"You still--leaving?"

"Yeah." He rolled his shoulders.

She nodded. "Can I see you off?"

His palms were flat against a wall. He leaned into them. "That's what we're doing."

She rolled her eyes. "At the space port?"

He hesitated, turning it over in his head. "Depends. You gonna make a scene? 'cause if you're gonna make a scene, I'd rather say goodbye here." He turned his head impossibly back and grinned at her. "Maybe leave you tied to a chair."

She stuck her tongue out. "You showed me how to get myself free."

His voice dropped to a suggestive growl. "Not from everything."

She rolled her eyes again. "Scary." She looked down, her voice no longer heavy with sarcasm. "No scene." The sarcasm came back. "Unless you try to tie me to a chair, monster-man. Then I'll make you wish you never met me."

He stretched down to the floor. His shoulders didn't seem quite right. "You'd be better--" he chopped it off. "Never that."

There was another awkward silence. "Do we have time for breakfast? I think Abu made coffee already."

"Abu," he snorted.

"What?"

He seemed to be chewing over what to say. "Told him to take care of you." His voice dropped. "Or I'll take care of him."

"And you'll know if he fucks up how?"

He grunted. Didn't answer directly. Swung his arms in an impossible circle. "He'll turn you into a princess. I wouldn't."

"Yeah. You'd turn me into a killer."

He paused his impossible stretching and his eyes sharpened, seem to look down into her. "If you were lucky," he rumbled. "Maybe I'd just lock you in my ship and make you do my laundry." The stretching continued.

She rolled her eyes the other direction, just for different. "Hope you like wearing pink then."

He laughed. "Get dressed. Let's eat."

* * *

Breakfast was awkward. Riddick had focused preternaturally on Abu as soon as they got to the table. Abu had gotten increasingly nervous. Nervous enough he'd almost bolted from the house with food left on his plate, wishing Riddick good fortune and mumbling something about coffee with a lady friend.

Jack punched him in the arm. "Whatcha go and terrorize him for anyway?"

Riddick reached for a fig. Chewed it thoughtfully. "Seemed the thing to do."

"Fuck you. Something happened between you two."

Riddick shrugged elaborately. His voice was slightly mocking. "Maybe it's just hard to leave my little princess with another man. You done eating?"

"For now."

He shoved back from the table. "I got a ship to catch." He was watching her carefully.

"Yeah."

"But since we're alone . . ." He smiled at her, hungrily. "Something I wanna to do with you first."

"What?"

His voice dropped low. "Trust me."

* * *

I take her back to my little room. I kept it clean, and cleaned it up real nice last night. All ready for the next man through here. I sit on the bed, watch her fidget by the door. I grin at her. Split my legs apart, hold my arms open. "Come here."

She's all worked up. She approaches me cautiously, her little heart beating hard enough I can hear the thub-dub of it across the room. I snake an arm around her and pull her close, hooking my legs around her calves casually. "Not going to bite you," I say, low and warm. Not today. "Just want one last thing. Something to remember you by."

She swallows, but her voice is clear and unafraid. "Lock of my hair?"

I snort. Stroke her hair. "Something like that." I take her left hand, caress it. Give her goose bumps. "It'll hurt a little. But I'll be gentle. You up for it?"

She goes bright red. I shouldn't tease her like this. Not right. But it's so much fun. She bites her lower lip. Finally, she works it through and nods, briefly. Her voice is low and meaningful. "If it's what you want."

"Good girl." I keep control of her hand, roll up her sleeve. Kiss the underside of her arm. Her breath catches. She's so tense that I feel a little guilty.

I let her hand go, roll up my own sleeve. Pull a shiv. Make a neat slice across the arm. She makes a funny little sympathetic noise. It makes me melt a little. I take her whole lower arm in my hand, cradling it gently. Christ, she's tiny. I draw the knife across her skin carefully, making sure it's nowhere near anything important. Close my eyes at the sweet smell. Put the shiv down on the pillow. Press the cuts together tightly. "You understand what this means?"

"You'll be with me always," she whispers, her voice cracking slightly. "Even though you won't be."

I make a low, rumbling sound. It works on dogs, horses, and Jack. "Yeah." I bury my head in her chest. Her right arm goes around me, and it's nice, so nice that once again, the temptation to take her wells up. I take a deep, steadying breath. Let go of her arm, unhook our legs. She sags slightly but doesn't move away. I clean the shiv carefully on the pillowcase. "You wash this when you're back?"

"Sure."

"Don't forget."

She rolls her eyes at me again. "You could watch me do it."

I grin at her. "I trust you, sis." She doesn't flinch this time. "Let's go."

"Right." She walks out of my little room without looking back. I put on my sunglasses and hat, a shapeless flowered shirt, shut the door quietly. Check myself in the hall mirror. I look convincingly ridiculous. By the time I turn around, she's dumping food into her backpack. Doesn't seem like she's packing to go with me last minute, still, I take it from her, give it a sniff. "Goin' on a picnic, Jackie girl?"

"It's three clicks to the port, Riddick. Three clicks back. Haven't seen you in a taxi yet, and I'm a growin' girl."

True that. You'll be old enough to fuck in no time. "Hm." I add a box of dog biscuits.

"In case you get hungry?"

I shrug. "Made some friends. Like to introduce you. Shoulda done it before, but . . ." I let my words trail off.

"You have friends?" she shoots back. I grin, but I really don't have an answer for that.

We walk in silence for a very long time. My thoughts are going to dark places. It's gonna drive me crazy, thinking about what could happen to her. Who it could happen with. That it won't happen with me.

There's a good sized park between Abu's and the port. I take her through the wooded part. Doesn't hit me until we're in the woods that I don't want her spending time here; too many places where a girl could get lost. Get taken. Break someone's neck here, it could be days before anyone knows it. My thoughts get darker and darker and I find myself glaring at the trees. Then she punches me in the arm. It breaks me out of the mood I'm in a little. "That's my girl."

"You wish," she shot back. "I was just along for the ride."

I snort. Purposefully make some noise as we go and I smell him at last, crouch down, whistle. He slinks out of the woods, cautiously. He's as big as Jack, black, with big paws and soft brown eyes. "Give him a biscuit."

She tries to imitate me, and doesn't do half a bad job. Offers up the biscuit. As the dog approaches, she releases a puff of fear. "Relax."

"He won't bite?"

"Only if he's afraid. And if you're afraid, he'll be afraid."

"Dick," she mutters. Holds the biscuit out. Dog looks at me and I nod. He takes the biscuit. She laughs. He eats it quickly, comes back, wagging, his head and tail low. She gives him another biscuit. He eats it watching them. "Who's this?"

"Dunno. Think he lives in the park. He scavenges in your neighborhood. Smart to make friends." Dog's watching us hopefully. "Give him another." She did. The dog came faster, his head and tail a little higher. "I think he likes you."

"I think he likes the biscuits."

I give him a scratch. "Look after him for me, would ya? He could use a home. Let's go."

* * *

To her surprise, Riddick actually had a ticket on a commercial transport. "Doesn't seem like your style," she muttered as they approached the loading lounge. He shrugged, aristocratically. "Got any more surprises?"

"No scene, Jack," he murmured. "Remember what I said."

"It'll haunt my nightmares." Riddick snorted. He ran his hand over her head, leaving it to rest for several heartbeats on the back of her neck. She blinked back tears. He leaned towards her as if he was concerned. Without thinking, she kissed his cheek. He closed his eyes.

He ran his finger down her cheek and only then did she realize she was crying. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in, gently. The he let go and stepped back. "Be good, kid." The he turned around, boarded the ship, and was gone.

She stood in the lounge until the ship took off. Then she stood a little longer. Finally shook herself, refilled her water bottles, and headed home. There was public transit, and she probably should take it, but she couldn't bear sitting with other people right now. She jogged until her lungs felt like they would burst. She found herself back in the park where Riddick had introduced her to the dog. She dove into the woods until she couldn't hear the children playing, sat with her back against a tree, breathing hard.

The dog found her. Maybe that's what she wanted. He approached so low his belly almost touched the ground. She watched him for a long moment. "Hey," she said, finally. The dog raised up slightly. One low wag. She smiled. "Hungry?"

The dog cocked his head. Came a little closer. She reached into her backpack. It jerked back. When she pulled out the biscuit box, he wagged fast. "Good dog," she murmured, was rewarded by more wagging.

She held out a biscuit. Instead of darting close, he approached slowly, took the biscuit, and ate it right there. She gave him another. He butted her hand with his head, started sniffing her arm busily where Riddick had cut her. She stroked that head the way Riddick had stroked hers. He wagged and blinked. Then he rolled over, exposing his soft belly.

She laughed, choked. Scratched the belly. He wriggled ecstatically. With an enormous sneeze he pulled himself upright, his eyes loving.

"Riddick told me to be take care of you. And be nice to puppies," she said, gravely. He licked her nose. Something broke, and she wrapped her arms around him and sobbed and sobbed. The dog stayed with her, nuzzling her, make small noises she didn't know how to interpret. After a long time, the tears slowed.

Someone cleared his throat. She jumped to her feet, suddenly furious.


	3. The Inconstant Moon

**Chapter 3: The Inconstant Moon**

A boy was there, he smiled at her, then at her dog. Her dog hunkered down, shoulders low, uncertain. "You okay?" The boy asked, carefully.

"Just peachy."

"You should tell your dog. He thinks there's something wrong."

She put her hand on the dog's back, between his shoulders. "He's not my dog."

"I think he thinks he is." She laughed, choked. "Seriously, are you okay? We could hear you from the path . . ."

She eyed him closely. About her age, long curly dark hair, golden complexion, pretty, in an annoying way. Her dog made a low noise –

_He's right; I'm thinking of this dog as mine. _She gave him a scratch. "It's okay," she murmured. Her dog relaxed immediately. "Look, I'm fine. I'm just . . . new here. Just met the dog today."

"Dog made you sad?"

"No." She stared at him. _Oh what the fuck. _"My best friend just got on a ship and told me he won't ever be back."

"Ever? He sounds kinda grandiose."

"Yeah," She snorted. "He is. Grandiose. Yeah. But I'm really gonna miss him. My – the guy I live with is a good guy, but . . ."

A shadow flitted across the boy's face. "Guy you live with?"

"Foster father. I guess."

"Ah." The boy nodded, solemnly. "Seems like you connected to that dog."

"Yeah. Ri – my friend gave me a box of dog biscuits to help with that."

The boy smiled, then came closer, easily, unthreatening. Crouched like Riddick had, held out his hand. Her dog sniffed it. "I'm Yunas." Whistled, and another dog trotted up. He gave it a scratch. "My dog's Fenris."

"I'm Jack. I don't know the dog's name." She held out her hand to Fenris, who sniffed it thoughtfully.

Yunas grinned, and when he did, he was beautiful. "Hi, Jack. I've seen him around. He's a good dog. You check his chip?"

"Huh?"

"His microchip?"

Jack still stared at him blankly. The boy's lip twitched. "You really are new. Everyone's got one. Well. Everyone from here." He pulled something from his pocket. It was black and flat. It took her a moment to realize it was a handheld computer. He sat on the ground, ran it over her dog slowly. "Heh. His name's Balder." The dog looked alert. "See?" He handed her his computer. She read, slowly.

"Oh," she said, feeling lost. "So he has people." She sunk back to the ground and scratched him, feeling hollow.

"Hm." Yunas took the computer back, started pressing buttons. "Oh. I see." He gave her a look. "Pod says they're dead. Poor puppy."

"What?"

"His people are dead. Balder's yours, if you want him. If you'll take care of him." He was watching her, diffidently.

"Huh." The tears threatened again. She blinked them back savagely. Balder made a small keening sound, butted her hand with his head. She sunk her hands into his fur and felt, just slightly, better. "You live around here?"

"Yup. You?"

"For now." She was a little surprised at the bitterness in her voice. "Sorry." Self consciously, she pulled her hands out of Balder's fur. He gave her a half wag, sniffed Fenris. The two of them started circling. Yunas smiled at her. "Where do you go to school?"

"Oh. Lakeside. Just started this week. You?"

Yunas looked slightly embarrassed. "Mountain Top."

"Where's that?"

There was a moment's hesitation, then the boy smiled, beautifully. "You really aren't from around here, are you?"

"Nope."

He didn't answer her question. "Where are you from?"

"Mercer." It popped out before she could stop it. "Don't tell anyone."

He shrugged indulgently. "Mercer. Okay. How'd you end up here?"

She shrugged, wondering how his shrug looked indulgent and hers looked pathetic. "Place to be. After my folks died . . ." her voice dwindled.

"People keep leaving you," Yunas said, with far too much insight.

"Yeah. Lucky me."

"You're here now. People don't leave all that often. It's the best place in the universe." She laughed, she couldn't help herself. He pulled something out of his bag. Another leash. She blinked at it. "I always keep an extra. In case I run into a stray."

"I don't know if my foster father will let me have a dog."

"Then fuck him." He grinned. "Look, none of my business, but that dog wants to be your dog. You need a friend who won't abandon you. Match made in heaven."

"Why do you care?"

"Meddling is a family tradition. We've gotten rich and famous for it."

"I've never heard of you."

He smiled, beautifully. "Yeah. That cracks me up. My great-great grandparents founded this planet."

"So you're a prince. Sounds nice," she said, archly.

Yunas smiled, beautifully. "Something like that. What do your folks do?"

"Be dead. Just like the dog's. Like – Balder." He broke off with Fenris, gave her the most beautiful look. She smiled at him.

"I'm sorry." Yunas touched her arm. She closed her eyes.

"It's okay. My mom – my mom was a soldier. Came with the territory, I guess."

"And your dad?"

"Do gooder, I guess. Civil rights activist. I guess."

"My mom does some of that. She's always got some cause or another."

"My dad died for it."

"I'm so sorry." There was a silence. He broke it. "Your mother was a Mercian soldier?" He sounded puzzled.

"Hell no. Not those wusses."

"Oh good. Just remembered that my mom calls them cheese eating surrender monkeys."

Jack laughed, and it felt good. "Oh, I like that. No. My mom was from Colchis."

"Wow." He blinked. "You're from Colchis?"

"No, my mom was from Colchis. My dad was from Mercer. I was born there."

"I'm getting a picture here." He looked at her far too closely. "Still none of my business, but you might not mention the Colchis thing to anyone."

"How come?"

"You know it was destroyed."

"Painfully aware."

"People can be . . . superstitious about things like that. You know. Colony of superhumans settle on a destroyed world, get destroyed? People . . . wonder."

_Superhumans? _"Huh," she said. His serious face morphed into a grin as the dogs began to leap at and spin around each other. After a while she found herself smiling.

"They like each other," he said, easily.

"Yeah."

"When they're done, can I walk you home?"

She felt the blush. "Sure."

"Give me your pod. I'll load my contact information in it. I can help you with Balder."

"I don't have a pod."

"You don't? That's practically child abuse!"

"You don't know child abuse," she muttered.

He looked at her closely again. "That's true. But I know what to do about it. Shall we?"

* * *

I watch Jack's new paradise drop away beneath me. She's down there somewhere, skipping or sulking her way back to Abu's. Hopefully. New Mecca is as safe as anywhere, but that makes still me a little crazy after everything. But I gotta let her go. Gotta let her go.

I don't want her thinking she needs some guy like me hulking over her to be safe, I really don't. And she doesn't. Not in Helios. Not in New Mecca. They take care of little girls there.

I don't want some guy like me hulking over her. The thought makes my firsts clench. I force them to relax. Fold them in my lap like a good tourist. Like the type of man who wears a flowered shirt and a stupid hat.

I can still feel her lips on my cheek. I can still smell the tears on hers.

I can also still smell her blood. Want another hit.

I lean back in the chair. Six hours to Helious Secondus. From there . . . lots of options.


	4. The Unconquerable Sun

**Chapter 4: The Unconquerable Sun**

Yunas was easy to like. She almost forgot to mourn Riddick up to seven seconds several times. He even made her laugh. Until they got to Abu's place, when the darkness welled up around her as if she'd never stopped in the park. She stared down at the ground.

"You live here?" Yunas asked, sounding slightly surprised. "It looks like a castle. Your folks must be loaded. You should be going to Mountain Top."

She shrugged. "Dunno. I think Abu's got money. I don't." She opened the door, hesitantly. "Abu?"

"In here, child."

"I have . . . some folks with me."

Abu came out of Riddick's little room with bedding in his arms and a forced smile on his face. His smile froze when he saw Balder and Fenris, rallied when he saw Yunas. He set the bedding down on the ground. You almost couldn't see the bloodstains. "Hello?"

Yunas stepped up, hand out. Abu took it. Balder leaned into her, his attention on the blankets. "Sir. I am Yunas Hyperion. I met your foster daughter in the park."

"Yunas Hyperion? Are you related to the founders?"

"I have that honor, sir."

"The honor is mine." Abu dropped his hand, touched his forehead. "Can I offer you and your . . . pets . . . refreshment?"

"Only one is mine, sir. Balder has adopted Jack."

Abu shook his head, smiling. "But this is no place for a – a dog."

"Please?" Jack said, her voice cracking. "He likes me. Ri—Richard told me to take care of him. His folks are dead. He needs me."

"But he's not – clean," Abu said. "Richard told you--" he stopped, eyeing her closely. His eyes went to Balder, stretching towards the bedding, nostrils flared. "We will talk about this later. Let me offer your guests refreshment."

Her stomach clenched. "You're going to say no. Fine." She looked at Yunas, her eyes prickling. "It was good to meet you, Yunas." She headed up the stairs, Balder at her feet.

"Jack, wait--"

"It's your house," she said, her voice steady. "I'll just get the stuff Ri—Richard gave me, and we'll be out of your hair."

"Jack, we'll talk about --"

She stopped, but didn't turn around. "There's nothing to talk about. I'm not abandoning him. He needs a home."

"How do you know that?"

"I checked his chip, sir," Yunas said, his voice conciliatory. Jack took the opportunity to bolt up the stairs, Balder hard on her heels. Yunas's voice dwindled beneath her. "Sir, this is my fault. I encouraged her to take in the dog. I can compensate you for any costs--"

"No, son, that's not the issue--" Jack shut the door. Balder wagged at her, hopefully. She wrapped her arms around him, vaguely aware she wasn't handling this right.

"It's gonna be okay." She grabbed the rucksack Riddick had given her once upon a time, headed to the dresser, stopped dead. Laying on top of her was the bone shiv Riddick had carved in the skiff. It was beautiful. Archaic. Like nothing that should actually exist. It had disappeared after Abu had freaked out about her carrying it. She turned it over in her hands, then defiantly put it around her neck, tucked it under her shirt. Opened the drawer, and there was another shiv in a sheath. Metal. Made for her hands. It had a belt hook. She snorted, hooked it on inside her pants.

There was a wallet in the drawer. She opened it. It was full of cash. She swallowed hard, slipped it into a pocket. Angrily wiped the tears away. _I can't bear this. _

There was a soft knock on her door. "What?"

Abu let himself in, took a deep breath. "Jack. Have patience with me. Why is this so important to you?"

She stared into the dresser drawer, trying to decide how much underwear to take. "Riddick told me to save puppies."

"What?"

"To be a good person. Not like him. And here's this dog. He's like me. His people are dead. No one wants him. Just like me. I can't – I can't let him down this fast."

Abu sat down on the bed. She could see him in the mirror over her dresser. "Oh, Jack . . ." He ran a hand over his head. He regarded her image in the mirror steadily. With entirely too much insight, he said, softly, "it's not abandoning someone to leave them where they can be cared for." When she said nothing, he continued, not quite looking at her. "You're not unwanted. I want you here. Mr. Riddick wants -- loves you very much."

She twitched.

"Mr. Riddick . . . longed to take you with him." She closed her eyes. "That young man downstairs wants you to stay. I want you to stay. If the . . . cost for that is having that animal here, I will adjust." Her eyes flew open. She turned around fast. "But you are responsible for him."

She blinked back tears. "No problem." She blinked back tears. "Uh – I promised Riddick I'd clean the blood out of his room."

"Ah, yes, I was going to ask you about that," he said, his face shadowed again. "Fresh blood on his pillow?"

She rolled up her sleeve, showed him the cut. "We did that blood brother thing. He said he wanted something to remember me by."

He smiled, relieved. "Good for you. I'll take care of it. You go entertain your guest. We've left him alone an unconscionably long time."

She laughed, only slightly choked. "What's unconscionably mean?"

* * *

Three days. I left New Mecca three days ago. Took a regular passenger ship. One last effort at playing nice for the old man; one last effort of "modeling good behavior for the kid," like he keeps nattering at me. Kept nattering. Won't natter no more. I won't miss it. Really.

Her life will be better if she's got good behavior. Probably. Her life will be better without me. That part's pretty definite.

Two days ago, I found the ship I wanted. Yesterday I took the ship I wanted. The old owner don't need it no more. His blood was flat and tasteless.

I'm in his bed. Shoulda washed the sheets. Not that it'd matter, whole place reeks of him. Been dreaming I was the dead guy, being hunted by monsters. Woke up yelling, looking for something to kill. First time I was damned glad Jack wasn't there. I laid in the bed, heart hammering, thinking about her. Wishing she –

I clamp down the thought. Breathe slowly. In. Out. In. Out. Let myself fall . . .

Calculating part of my brain knows I'm dreaming. Feeling part has no idea. She's with me, all grown up, all hard and cold and glittering. What she might be, some day, if I turn around. We're fighting, we're fucking, and I'm happy, so fucking happy. Then she's that little girl again, all full off hope and puppy dogs and shit, and a different part of me is happy. Right until we're back at the damned monster planet and Billy Boy's heading towards Jack with rope in his hands. "Time to be a hero," he tells her seriously. She shoots me this one, hopeful look. I don't move. Her shoulders slump and she sits down, lets him loop the rope around her ankles. It's breaking my heart, but it's not my fight. I keep saying that right up until he starts dragging her and one of those things is heading for her, then I'm running, but I'm not gonna make it. I wake up roaring and I'm in the cockpit with my hands about to turn the ship around to go save her from the monsters before my brain figures it out. I sit there, frozen.

This is fucked.

Billy Boy's dead. I fed his child killing ass to monsters. No fucking doubt.

No fucking doubt the galaxy's full of men like him. Helios protects its own, but if Abu cuts me, don't get her citizenship, anyone could grab her and no one would do shit.

She's a good kid.

I was a good kid too, once upon a time. Got reamed hard for it.

I punch up the course back. She'll come with me if I ask her too. Hell. She'll come with me if I decide she's gonna.

She's a good kid. She's got a shot at a good life.

I had a shot too. All I had to do was keep my mouth shut. All I had to do.

She deserves better than I can give her. She comes with me, I'll fuck her, I'll fuck her up. She'll die, young and pretty.

Abu said he'd do the right thing.

No fucking doubt I can't do the right thing.

It's breaking my fucking heart.

It's seven months from the ice planet at the most fuel efficient speed. No reason not to be efficient. Got nothin' better to do.

It's a new ship. New cryo-type set up. Got a new name and everything. I'm gonna try it out.


	5. Across the Universe

**Chapter 5: Across the Universe**

Something wakes me up. Or something. It's dark and there's something warm and heavy on top of me.

Right. Monster planet. Saved a kid. This kid. The one on top of me, her little arms around me, like she fell asleep hugging me. That's trust. We're in the pilot's seat, and it's reclined almost flat, two thirds of the blankets on top of us. Her little legs have slipped down between mine, trapped. Hits me she could do some damage if she wanted, before I broke her little neck. Is that trust? I blink down at her, trying to remember how she got there. Then the cold hits me. Right. I turned the heat down and she came right on over.

Kid's got a crush. Cute.

She shifts against me. I nuzzle the crown of her ridiculously naked head. It's cold. It takes me a minute, but finally, I pull the top blanket up over her scalp, tuck it under my chin. She shifts slightly again but doesn't pull it off.

Carolyn's sitting next to us in the navigator's chair, cradling hot chocolate. "You're in my chair," she says, smirking at me.

I shrug.

"I was supposed to fly this thing."

I grunt. Yeah. And then you got guilty about tryin' to kill us all. Guilt. It's a killer.

"I'm serious."

She's right again. Seriously dead. I saw her ripped into bits by a flying monster. So why the fuck is she in my little bit of paradise with cocoa? I take a leap and talk to the dead. "Dunno."

"So if you could have picked, which one of us would you have taken?"

I roll my eyes at her. "Shh, you'll wake the baby."

Dead girl takes a drink. There's stale marshmallows floating in the mug. Sickeningly, fakely sweet. She smells like nothing else. I bury my nose in the blanket, take a deep sniff of Jack's head.

Carolyn's eyes narrow. "Oh come on. I died for you. You owe me."

Stabbing pain between my eyes. I shoot back without thinking. It's my dream, who's she gonna tell? "You think she wouldn't?"

Dead girl laughs at me. My fists clench. The kid shifts again. Her little hands start to move down my sides like she's gonna get up. I pin her with my left arm on the small of her back. Lay my right hand on her naked scalp, under the covers. It's still cold. Makes me feel funny. "It's okay, kid," I murmur into the blanket. "Just a bad dream." I start rubbing her head, trying to get it warm. She relaxes.

Carolyn laughs at me again. "I tried to pick you. You hit me," I hear myself say. Jack goes tense, tries to lift herself up and away. Shit. I didn't want her to know that. I feel myself close around her. "Ssssshhhhh," I whisper. "Talkin' to ghosts. Don't want them to get you."

"Well, you were being a jerk," Carolyn informs me reasonably.

I snort. "I am _so_ much better than I ought to be."

"That's probably true."

The kid's neck is under my hand. "I'd pick her."

"So you do like 'em young."

"Good thing you're dead, lady," I growl.

"Oh, right, because I've offended your sacred honor?" she smirks at me again. "Don't get your panties in a twist." She takes another drink. "Just sayin'. You like kids."

Jack's gone still enough that I stop, listen for her breathing. Can't hear it over dead girl slurping her cocoa so I squeeze the kid's neck, making sure the blood is still flowing. It is. It'd be so easy to stop it. I force my hand to relax. "I'm sorry you're dead, Caroline," I say, softly. "But don't try to punish me. I tried to do right by you."

"You tried to tempt me. To be a monster with you."

"You were a monster long before I met you," I snap. She snorts into her cup and the marshmallow smell slaps me. I lower my nose to Jack's head again, take a deep breath. Continue, softly, "I let you beat me. Gave you a shot at redemption."

She spills a little of the stinking hot chocolate. "Jesus. Is that what you think happened?"

"I know that's what happened. I was gonna let you be the hero." Hits me that Jack's crying. I slide the hand that's on her neck down her spine. "I was gonna let you be the hero, but you up and died on me."

"Heroes run away?" Dead girl leans back, smirking yet again.

My shirt's getting wet. Hit the seat control and it reverts to its fully upright and locked position, shift Jack so she's on my lap. Saw a statue that looked like that once. She pulls the blanket off her head, looks up at me heartbroken. I brush the tears off with a thumb. Resist the impulse to drink them. The condenser will pull them right out of the air wherever they are and we'll be sucking them down in an hour anyway.

"I thought you were the hero," Jack says, woefully.

"Sorry, kid," I sigh. Tuck the blanket back over her head, leaving her face clear. Bury my hands under the blanket. It really is fuckin' cold in here. I could turn up the heat . . .

"He's no hero," dead girl tells Jack, suddenly serious as a heart attack. "You think he saved you out of the goodness of his heart? He saved you 'cause he was pissed at that cop – who, by the way, was an asshole, but really was trying to protect the world from monsters – and because he was tickled that you liked him. You should have known Johns before Riddick chewed him up and shit him out. Just like he's gonna do to you if you don't get the fuck away from him."

I growl, low. Jack's shivering. I tighten my grip. I don't mean to say it, I don't mean to say anything at all, but I'm growling. "He was no cop. I don't hurt kids. And I don't leave 'em to die."

Anymore.

_Shit, _I wanna hit something. Jack makes a small noise, starts to try to struggle. I holding her so tight I'm hurting her. Sorry kid. I force myself to relax my arms, just a bit, but I can't look at her. Not now. Not the girl I left behind. Again. _Shit. _ "Rest of the universe, no fuckin' doubt," I mutter. "But not that."

Carolyn laughs at me again. "You just keep tellin' yourself that, little Cain. Think we would have fucked?"

I snort, almost pathetically grateful to dead girl for changing the subject. Then I feel stupid, 'cause I know this is my dream. I play along. "If you hadn't hit me? Pretty definitely. We woulda had to have found something to do." Finally, I force myself to look down at Jack. She looks up at me through damp, frightened eyes, and something melts inside me.

"Kinda glad she did, kid," I whisper. Nuzzle her face. She makes a soft, grateful sound. Makes my cock twitch.

Think about moving her back to her own seat.

Means movin' dead girl.

Look over at the dead woman, sitting in Jack's seat, and I don't move the kid at all. Grip her tight like a teddy bear and settle back down for a long winter's sleep.

* * *

Jack jerked awake. Balder had jumped off the bed. He padded over to the front window, raised up on his hind paws and nosed the curtains apart to look down at the street. In the seven months she'd had him, he'd never done that.

_Go for a knife? _Jack shook herself, followed Balder. He looked up at her and made a small whining noise. She petted him, crouched besides him, and cracked the window open slightly.

A private car was parked in front of her house. She blinked at it. Hardly anyone they knew owned private cars, and none like this. Brilliant white and well armored, it looked like it could zoom through space. It was simply sitting there.

After too long, the back door on the street side opened, and Abu unfolded himself. He looked much older than he had when he left for work that morning; infinitely older than he had when they crashed on the monster planet a lifetime ago. He looked up at her window, his face deeply creased. She didn't think he saw her. He closed the door quietly, walked around the car.

The window on the near side of the car unrolled itself. A suggestion of whiteness looked out. Abu hesitated for an instant, then turned, his back to the house.

A woman's voice. "This is hard for you."

Abu's shoulders tensed. "Madam, I appreciate your confidence. But I do hope you are wrong."

"I wish I was."

"I've told you what I can. May merciful god forgive me."

The woman's words carried clearly. "In my long years, I have learned that sometimes, a lesser evil is necessary to avert a greater one."

"That is not what my faith teaches."

The woman's response was indistinct. The window rolled up, and the car drove away. Abu looked up at Jack's window again before squaring his shoulders and coming in doors.

Balder relaxed, looked up at her, and wagged. Jack stared at him for a moment before shrugging on a robe and heading down stairs. Balder followed.

Abu was in the kitchen with a cup of tea. "Hey," she said.

The tea sloshed. "You should be asleep, child," he said, his voice unnaturally steady.

"I was. Who was that lady?"

The tea sloshed again. He rallied well. "Ah. She's an ambassador. A very . . . powerful person."

"I heard you two talking."

"Eavesdropping is not a good thing, child."

"You were talking on the street. Were you talking about me?"

Abu's eyes sharpened. "Oh, child . . ." he put his tea cup down. "No." He went quiet for a long time, obviously wrestling with something. Finally, he sighed. "Not precisely. But it does affect you. She came to me because she has some interest in . . . Riddick's people. Her intelligence discovered the connection between him and us."

His name hit her like a rock. "Shit."

"Language, Jack."

"Did you tell her anything?"

Abu looked uncomfortable. "I mostly confirmed what she already knew."

"He asked us to keep our mouths shut."

"I know." Abu's eyes softened. "I did it in return for a promise."

"What?"

"That she stay away from you."

Jack shook her head. "That's not worth it."

His voice sharpened. "She's not human, Jack." Balder bumped against her, worriedly. "Jack. Please. Be led on this."

"Does she just wanna talk to me?"

Abu sighed. "No. Jack, she . . . suggested that a thr--. . . an apparent threat to you might make him surface."

"Would that work?"

"I have no doubt Riddick would storm the gates of hell if he thought you were on the other side." She snorted. "But he believed the best way to keep you safe was to continue the charade that he died on that planet. To that end, he is a long way away, and I doubt very much he is watching. He did not leave contact information." Abu's face twitched. "If he was to learn of a threat to you, I do not think it would put him in a particularly accommodating frame of mind."

"What does she want with him? Can we warn him?"

Abu picked up his teacup. "I have no way to warn him." She watched the surface of the tea tremble. Abu kept talking. "She wants a Furyan to do a job."

"What?"

"She wants him to kill a man."

"Huh. That doesn't sound so bad. Who is he supposed to kill?"

Abu looked pained. "Jack. Killing is wrong." She snorted. Balder blinked up at her, worried eyed. "There's nothing to do at this point. I assured her we had no way of contacting him and suggested that he had moved on with his life. However, if Riddick does contact you . . . you might tell him the Elementals are looking for him."

* * *

An eternity later, I open my eyes, blink into the darkness. She's not here. She's never been here, on this dead man's ship. There's just me, a needle in my arm, cryo dreams you could cut with a knife, and a planet locked in an ice age down below.


	6. Lie Down With Dogs

**Chapter 6: Lie down with Dog**s

I circle the planet three times, thinking hard. Ship's computer calls it Audhumla, says there were settlers once upon a time with grand plans to end the ice age. They booked it when their sponsors got into some fuckin' war or another and stopped backing them. Mucked enough with the ecosystem that some of the stuff's edible. Some's even recognizable. I could go live with penguins. Could be fun.

Plenty of fish in those seas. No people. But a satellite is still there.

I match orbits with it and unfurl the ship's solar sails, let it soak up a recharge while I'm working. Hack in and it's ready to be my dog. Happy to let me know if anything's coming. Happy to tell everyone I was never here. It's had nothing better to do for a hundred years except send updates to the dead.

Something about those dead makes me feel edgy. This was their world, and now they're gone. Mostly. I spend ten minutes reading up before I'm bored. Blah blah blah Invictus. Blah blah blah Necromongers. Blah blah blah Colchis. Jesus Christ, who comes up with these names?

Solar's slow. Go back into cryo 'till the recharge is done.

* * *

"I feel ridiculous," Jack muttered, tugging at her gown.

"You look gorgeous," Yunas replied lightly. She took a moment to drink him in. In his tuxedo, he was lovely. Like he was born to dress that way.

Not like her.

"Thanks for doing this with me," she muttered, tugging at the gown again

"No worries." Yunas smiled, blissfully. "I like weddings. Don't you?"

"Hell if I know."

"You've never been to a wedding before?" He sounded vaguely scandalized.

She slotted her eyes towards his. "No," she replied, shortly. "I haven't." She looked away before she could see the pity that she knew would be there.

He put his hands on her shoulders, smoothed her dress, checked the flowers in her hair. "They're lovely. Affirmations of life. Of civilization. And Lajjun is a sweetheart. You're a lucky girl."

"Don't I know it." Jack stared up at the ceiling. _Riddick said that to me. And I said that to him. _Her eyes prickled.

"Hey," Yunas said, concerned. "You're really freaked out. What's really going on?"

"Nothing," she said, shortly. Balder nosed his way into the bedroom, followed by Fenris. They bounded onto the bed, watched them with their mouths open and their tails waging. Jack found herself smiling. "Feel like I'm trying to be something I'm not. As usual. Performance anxiety, I guess."

"Ah." For a moment she thought he was going to push it, again. He just smiled patiently. "It'll be easy. Walk down the aisle, stand up front and smile as sweetly at the lovely couple."

She was almost disappointed he didn't push, as it turned out. "Wearing a stupid dress."

"It's lovely," Yunas said, softly. "Look, I know it'll mean a lot to Mr. Al-Walid to have you there. And it'll look weird if his . . . ward . . . isn't in the wedding party. But if you really don't want to do this, I'm sure Abu will understand. I know you think he's trying to turn you into something you're not, but really, he just wants what's best for you. Do you want me to go talk to him?"

Jack stared at Balder, laying on her bed, panting lovingly. "He took me in, he got me citizenship in a better world than the one I came from."

"He got you citizenship?" Yunas said, sounding impressed. "I didn't know that."

"Yeah. That was part of the deal. And I've faced worst."

A shadow passed over Yunas's face. "Someday, you've gotta tell me about that."

Jack shook her head. "No. I really don't. Let's do this thing."

He offered her his arm and they walked down to the garden.

Yunas was right. It was a beautiful wedding.

* * *

We're on a boat, her and me and Johns and beautiful, stupid Carolyn. Carolyn's got her head on Johns' shoulder. We're drinking beers. Except for Jack, she's drivin'. Eyes on the horizon and smile on her lips. Not looking at me.

Johns is. Jerks his head at the kid. "Cute kid. She with you?"

"I didn't bring her," I mutter. For some reason, that's pissing me off. Johns laughs. I clench my fists, and there's something in them. Rope. Coiled around my wrists, in my hands, spilling down around my feet. I glare at it.

"She looks like _good_ monster bait," he says, conspiratorially. Like we're in on this together. Like we're the kinda guys who help each other out. Wonder what it'd feel like if it was his guts coiled around my wrists. Slippery. I cock my head, thoughtfully.

"Better her than us, right bro?" he grins. "Desperate times. Who's gonna miss her?"

Carolyn simpers. "Now, Billy."

"Aren't you dead?" I ask. "Didn't you all get eaten by monsters?" And suddenly, they _are_ getting eaten by monsters. Billy Boy 'cause I sliced his child killin' skin open. Just like I sliced Jack. Carolyn 'cause she's trying to rescue me. That's like a punch in the gut. A would-be murderess died for me, and it's killing me. It's killing me.

Then I'm back on the boat, drinking a cold one, staring at Jack. Her long hair is streaming behind her. I never saw her with long hair. It's nice. "Been meaning to talk to you about that," Johns says. "Where the fuck do you get off, feeding us to monsters? That's the kid's destiny." He stands up. The beer turns to a fucking big gun in his hands.

I look at my beer. It remains beer. I shrug. "Maybe I'm not hungry." Jack looks back, rolls her eyes at me. I grin at her. She changes course. "Maybe I like her better."

"Better than me?" he asks, affronted. And the question stops me, it really does. I know I like her better. I know I do. And not just because there's a part of me that wants to fuck her. Really. She should be almost grown up by now. . .

"You kill children," I hear myself say.

He shrugged. "And you don't? You brought the monster bait."

I grunt. "Told you, she's not with me." She looks back at me again, this time heartbroken, and it hurts, it really hurts. I wink at her.

"Then you won't mind if I trawl with her?" And he's moving faster than he has any business moving, and he's got her around the neck, and she's screaming for me but I'm all tangled in the ropes and the beer and I can't move fast enough. He loops something around her throat and throws her into the water and I hear a crack and I bolt out up out of cryo panting.

Ship's charged. Could go back.

Back to the girl.

Back to the light.

Fuck that.

Computer's been working on options. First six are stupid. Old settlements. First places people dropping by would look. But the seventh . . . The seventh makes me happy. There's a glacier that retreats just a tiny bit in the summer. Uncovers a cave in a mountain full of metal. Then the fall comes, and the glacier returns. Plenty of cracks big enough for a man hunting food, nothing a ship could get through. Pain in the butt if I wanna leave in a hurry, but bigger pain in the butt for anyone lookin'. As long as I leave no trace on the way in, we'll be safe as houses all but a few weeks outta the year.

* * *

"Jack. Thank you for coming to see me," the guidance counselor said with a smile.

"Of course, Ms. Eliade," Jack said, easily.

"You have done splendidly here. Frankly, when you got here, you were behind four grade levels. You've made it up in less than two years. You're not only advancing with your peer group, you're doing it with high honors."

Jack shrugged modestly. "I had good teachers."

Ms. Eliade's lips quirked. "I wanted to talk to you about your future. Have you thought of becoming an engineer?"

Jack blinked at her. "Not really. I just – I just want to do something good, you know. Be a good person. Do good. I sorta thought maybe social worker . . ."

The career counselor cocked her head. "Really? You do show a great deal of empathy for others. But candidly, I think that you'd miss your calling. According to these scores, you should be an engineer. And there's plenty of good work to do as an engineer."

"Like what?"

"Jack, engineers are the basis of our very existence! Every planet in this system has been terraformed, and that takes a lot of work to keep running. Plus, with an engineering degree from a Helian college, you'll be able to work almost anywhere in the civilized galaxy. I'll send you some information. But first," Ms. Eliade frowned slightly, looked at her computer screen. "The fact you're not a citizen will throw a crimp in that future."


	7. Objects on Tables

**Chapter 7: Objects on Tables**

"I'm not a citizen," Jack repeated dumbly.

"It will make school more expensive, it will limit you from the core of engineer work, prevent you from serving in the military. And it means that we can't give you a passport. In fact, it's going to be a huge problem if you ever want to go off world. Your home world and Helios are not on good terms; they don't keep an embassy here. It will be difficult to get a passport."

Jack stared at her. "What am I a citizen of?"

The woman blinked at her, surprised. "Why, Mercer, of course." Jack's chair screeched back. "My dear girl, are you alright?"

It was all she could do not to run. _No,__I'm__not__alright.__You__just__told__me__that__this__school__knows__where__I__come__from.__Shit,__shit,__shit._She swallowed. "Just – surprised. A little," _terrified._"Surprised. My foster father told me he'd take care of that when I got here. Things weren't . . . good there."

Ms. Eliade's expression softened. "I'm sorry, Jack. Perhaps it slipped his mind. Do you want me to call him?"

_No __fucking __way __it __slipped __his __mind.__He __remembers __everything __else __Riddick __ever __said __about __me._ She felt a flash of rebellion. _May be __that's __strategic. __Every __time __I __wanna __do __something __interesting, __it's __all __Riddick __wouldn't __like __that__ –_

She shook herself. The counselor was waiting. "No – no. I'll talk to him. Thank you."

The rest of the academic counseling session passed in a haze. As her panic faded, she couldn't stop thinking about Riddick. And in her mind, he was furious. It felt like he was right behind her, the way he used to be behind her, looming warningly. She closed her eyes, almost feeling the heat of his body there. His hand closing on her shoulder . . .

Riddick under a console, fixing something. _I __could __do __that._She signed up for the engineering classes, thanked her counselor, and walked into brilliant sunshine, mind swirling.

Remembering.

A few days before they arrived in New Mecca, he'd killed a middle aged man who'd been flirting with her. Not for the first time, she felt a pang of guilt about it. Riddick had encouraged people to think they were fucking; it was no wonder that guy thought she might be up for older men. He'd been wistful and hopeful and Riddick had come up behind him and broken his neck. Glared at her for an instant, then carted the body off like it was meat. They'd never talked about it.

She would always love him. Sometimes, she missed him so much it hurt. But he'd been right. Her life would have been impossible with him around.

_Especially __if __I'm __ever __gonna __date. _Another thing Abu said Riddick wouldn't like, but Yunas was making his interest no secret. She had shut him down again and again, not the least because she had not quite trusted Riddick not to show up and break his neck too. But he was very sweet and she was sixteen . . .

The hill up to Abu's house loomed. She pulled out her console, punched up Yunas's mother, Angela. To her surprise, her paralegal buzzed her right through.

"When you've got some time, could I talk to you about something legal? I can pay . . ."

Angela snorted. "I'll give you the family rate, dear. You're my son's bestest friend, aside from his dog. Free to talk. I've got some time now. Shall I send a car?"

"That'd be nice." Within seconds, a taxi zoomed up, fair already paid. It was a single person autocab, no driver, just a destination. These things still made her nervous, but she got in anyway. The ride took minutes, and she was shown right in.

"So what's this about?"

"I thought Abu got me citizenship when I got here. I just found out he didn't. I'm . . . pretty freaked."

A passing aircar cast a shadow on Angela's face. "Have you talked to him about this?"

"No. . ." Jack stared out the window. Angela's office was in a high tower, overlooking New Mecca. The city below them was stunningly beautiful. "I found out a half hour ago. The school counselor brought it up. Said it'd be a problem some day, going to school, getting a job. Or if I want to go off world." Jack shivered.

"Yes, it would be. Jack, why did you think he got you citizenship?"

"Because he told me he'd take care of it. The day he got married – he told me it was all taken care of."

"Maybe it's just a mix up. Mind if I check?"

"Go ahead." Angela sat down at her computer, started typing. After a moment, she looked over her shoulder.

"So you're from Mercer?"

She shoved down her rising panic. "Yeah. Sort of."

"Sort of?"

"I was born there. My dad was from there."

"Your mother?"

"Colchis." There was a slight intake of breath behind her. "That a problem?" she asked, defensively.

"Oh, child, there are people looking for survivors of Colchis . . . "

"I've never been there," Jack said flatly. "I'm from Mercer."

"Mercer. Where they put the refugees from Colchis in concentration camps about three years before you got to New Mecca."

Jack's eyes jerked to her. "You didn't just look that up."

Angela shrugged. "Government abuse of power is a hobby of mine. Were you in a camp?" Her voice was carefully neutral.

"Noooo . . ." Jack went back to staring out the window. "My dad's cousin took me in after my family died." The bitterness in her voice surprised her. "He wasn't . . . nice."

Angela's voice was still neutral. "Not nice how?"

"Said I had to pay him back. On my back. I was eleven." She rubbed her eyes. "Shit. I wasn't going to tell anyone this."

"Oh, Jack. You need to tell someone."

"I told my school counselor. Back on Mercer. She told me if I said anything, I'd be put into a camp. She told me I might be put into a camp anyway. I got on the first ship that would take me. It crashed. I ended up here."

"I see," Angela murmured. "How did your parents die?"

"Some battle or another. They died for Mercer." _And __Mercer __fucked __them __over. __No __wonder __Riddick __hates __people._

Angela's voice seemed to come from far away. "Your parents died in the last battle with the Necromongers. My god, Jack. Do you have any other family?"

"Sort of. Half brother and sister. They – they died in the same battle."

"Hm." The silence was broken only by the clicking of the keys. "You've given me two reasons to get you a compassionate waiver from our normal rules. This should be a breeze." There was a pause. "Do you have any idea why Abu thought he'd taken care of this? Do you want to talk to him about it first?"

Jack shook off the fear as well she could. "I'll talk to him. But let's get this going."

Angela's fingers hovered over the keys. "Does Abu know about Colchis?"

"I never told him. I've never told anyone here about that until today. Except Yunas. The day I met him. He told me to keep it quiet."

"Smart boy." Angela grinned. "I knew I liked him." She moved to her computer, typed for a moment. Some old fashioned paper sheets appeared on the printer. She leafed through the pages intently for several seconds. Then she looked up.

"This one says I'm your attorney." Jack signed it, a lump in her throat. "This is your petition for citizenship." Jack signed it too.

"I'll get these filed today. That will get the process started." She hesitated. "Anyone here? The thing that I'm worried about – it's not just an urban myth that there were teams hunting survivors of Furya and Colchis. Probably those same Necromongers. It's been a long time since any hit Helios. But still . . . "

"There's one guy who knows. The other guy who survived that crash. But he – he wouldn't have told anyone."

"Why?"

"He didn't talk to anyone."

"When was the last time you heard from him?"

She blinked back tears. "The day I met your son."

"Oh, Jack." For an instant, there was maternal compassion in Angela's face. It almost hurt to see. Then she was all lawyer. "Okay. Just keep it quiet. I'll get these filed. Talk to Abu when you're ready. Stay in touch."

Jack declined the car and took the bus home. Balder greeted her to an otherwise empty house. He followed her up to her room. She opened her dresser, pulled the metal shiv Riddick had given her out from under her socks, ran through some basic drills Riddick had shown her. She could still feel his hands on hers. It made her flush.

There was a knock on her door, then Yunas stuck his head in. "You decent?"

"You should be so lucky. What are you doing here?"

"You didn't answer my wave. Where's your folks?"

"Dunno." She put the shiv down.

"What's that?"

"Present from an old friend." He came close, picked it up. She went tense. "Don't touch it," she said testily.

"Huh?"

"Just – just it's sharp." She took it from him, put it into his sheath and slipped both into her pocket.

"Now, who's giving my girl sharp things?"

She rolled her eyes at him. "Just hope you never meet him. He wouldn't like you."

He put his arms around her. "Everyone likes me. What's wrong, baby?"

"I just found out I'm not a citizen. _Fuck_."

"If you say so," he whispered low, into her ear. "Though I'd be happy with a kiss." Started pulling her towards the bed. She laughed.

"Look, it's just – I thought Abu'd taken care of it. Kinda freaks me out that he didn't. And that he let me think he had." She let him set her on the bed. The dogs jumped up with them, curling around them. "I talked to your mother today."

His hands, which had been busying themselves rubbing her shoulders, stopped. "Yeah?"

"About the not-being-a-citizenship thing. Just got me rattled."

"Must have. She gonna take care of it?"

"Yeah."

"Then don't sweat it. My mom's a miracle worker." He started rubbing again.

"But what about Abu?"

"What about him?"

"My friend – the one who gave me the shiv – he told Abu to get me citizenship. He didn't. I didn't know about it. Just – just weird."

His hands stilled. "That day we met. The guy you saw off. He gave you the knife?"

"Yup"

"And he told Abu to get you citizenship?"

Her voice was a little softer. "Yeah."

"Huh. He do the window dressing here?"

"What? Oh, the bars. Yeah. He did."

"Why?"

"He said something about keeping out monsters. He was like that."

Yunas laughed, slightly forced. "You think I wouldn't like him?"

"No, I think he wouldn't like you."

"How come?"

"He really didn't like the guys who wanted to fuck me." She rolled off the bed, went back to the dresser. Fished out the wallet Riddick had left, very aware that Yunas was looking at her. She slipped it deep in her pocket.

"Told you, I'd settle for a kiss. And anyway, you were what, twelve when you were with this guy? Sounds like a good thing to me."

"Maybe that was it," she said, slowly, pulling on a sweater. "He really tried . . ." she swallowed. "He told me to be a good person. I've really been trying."

Yunas came up behind her, put his arm around his waist. "You're a great person, Jack."

"All because of him."

Balder growled. Jack looked at him, unsure. He hopped off the bed and shot downstairs, Fenris fast on his heels. She tried to take a step towards them, but Yunas restrained her, gently. "Jack, this is important. You're not you because of this guy. If he'd told you to be the bestest killer you could be, would you be?"

_Maybe, _she thought. She squared her shoulders. "Yunas, I gotta tell you a few things about that guy, just in case-"

"Jack," Abu called from down stairs, his voice tight. "Are you home?"


	8. Where the Waters Flow

**Chapter 8: Where the Waters Flow.**

Jack came down the stairs slowly, Yunas at her heels. Abu was standing by Riddick's old room. "Please come into the living room. We have some people here and some things to discuss. Perhaps Yunas could take the dogs--" Balder growled. Abu stopped what he was going to say. Swallowed. Simply nodded at him.

"What's going on?"

"Please."

She let him lead her into the room. Sat on a straight chair, Yunas behind her, the dogs at her feet, alert. A well dressed man and woman were waiting for them. The woman gave her a nod. The man looked her up and down and grinned. It made her skin crawl.

"Jack, this is Mr. Toombs and Ms. Logan." His eyes were compassionate. "Your . . . family sent them."

She stared at him blankly. "I don't have any family."

He winced. "Your family on Mercer."

"_What?_" Yunas put his hand on her shoulder.

"These . . . people are here to take you to them."

"No."

"Jack, I'm sorry. They have a court order."

"How did they find me?"

Abu looked wretched. "Jack . . ."

Suddenly, far to many things made horrible sense. "You told them. That's why you didn't get me citizenship. Because you were in touch with _my family _on Mercer." Balder growled, low. "I'm not going."

He didn't deny it, and the guilt on his face almost broke her heart. "Jack, I am trying. But your family had a right to know what happened to you." There was a hint of defiance in his voice. "Telling them was the right thing to do."

"No. It wasn't."

It's not forever, Jack. When you're eighteen--" Abu stopped. "I've taken the liberty of buying you an open ticket back to Helios. You can use it at any time, from any place." He put a silver chit on the table. Jack stared at it.

"Jesus. How could you do this to me?"

He swallowed. "People were asking me--" he stopped abruptly, took a deep breath. "Your family had the right to know what happened to you," he repeated.

"Why didn't you _tell_ me?"

He spread his hands, placating. "I thought it would upset you. And I did not believe they would send for you."

_You thought I'd run away if I knew. You thought I'd run away, and Riddick would hurt you. _She gripped Yunas's hand on her shoulder. Toombs leered ever so slightly. She looked at him. "You're quiet."

"Just here to do a job, ma'am."

"I'm not going with you."

He shook his head. "I'm sorry, ma'am. Got a job to do. Been catching bigger fish than you for a long time. On your feet or over my shoulder, you're going."

"You're a merc."

He saluted her ironically. "Proud guild member, ma'am."

"Jesus."

Yunas had taken his hands off of her. "You jammed the com system." Jack swiveled her head around. He had his pod in his hands.

"Who you gonna call, son?"

"I was thinking the police."

"They wouldn't stop this."

"They'd delay. Give my m – give us time to figure this out."

"Yeah. I'd like that. Delay until I'm old enough to get this quashed."

Logan cleared her throat. "Ma'am. This isn't optional. You can pack a bag if you like. I recommend you do. Pack something warm."

Jack closed her eyes. _If he gets out of here, he could call his mother. _ "Yes. I'd like that. Yunas, would you take care of Balder for me? Maybe take him home to your mother _right now?_"

"Of course." Yunas kissed her on the cheek, headed towards the door. Toombs hesitated, then let him step past, unhook the leashes.

Yunas stopped. "May I see the order, sir?"

Toombs stared at him, his brow crinkling. "Why?"

"He's her boyfriend," Abu said. "I think it's appropriate."

Toombs frowned at him. Then made a big show of patting his pockets. Pulled a flimsy out, handed it over. Yunas still had his pod in his hand. The dogs gave Yunas about four seconds, then began demanding attention. There was a flurry of papers and dog paws, then Yunas handed the order back.

"You're coming back?" he said, yearningly.

"I'm not going."

"If you do--"

"I hope so," she said. He flashed her a brilliant smile, leashed the dogs, and was gone. Her shoulders quivered. Turned back to Toombs.

"Would you really use force?"

"Minimum necessary," Toombs said with a grin. She glared at Abu. Behind him, she could see Yunas in the window, talking rapidly to Lajjun. Lajjun had Ziza in her arms. Ziza waved at her. She waved back half heartedly. Abu half turned to see what she was looking at.

Toombs turned too. "Cute kid," he said.

Abu's face hardened. "Jack," he said, and there was something final in his voice. "Pack a bag."

* * *

Her big brother was eating raw meat, just to gross her out. The smell was making her sick. He kept showing her the meat in his mouth. "Come on. You'll like it," he teased.

"I'd rather eat poop."

"I can arrange that."

"You're sick."

"You're a baby." She got up to leave. "Sit," he said, firmly.

She stuck her tongue out at him. "You're not the boss of me."

"That's what you think," he said, darkly. "That's what this chick thought too."

Jack looked at the haunch of meat on the table. It turned into a girl, partially dismembered. She shoved back from the table. "Jesus."

He grinned. "Oh, tell me you don't have a soft spot for killers." He stood up, knife and fork in hand. "We've got a soft spot for you." She tried to back away, but she got tangled in the chair and fell. He picked her up, laughing, set her on the table. He poked her in the neck with the fork. She kneed him hard, hit something that did not feel like flesh. She jerked awake, heart hammering.

It was very dark. She was in a cryo tube, a needle in her arm. There was a little puddle of light just barely visible. Her knee hurt from where she'd hit the plexiglass.

"This is one fuckin' fast ship," a familiar voice grumbled, sounding grudgingly impressed. "Can't believe how fast we got here." Her mind raced. _Toombs. _

An unfamiliar, educated voice answered dryly. "One of our best."

"Maybe I'll keep it."

"You'll have to discuss that with her ladyship."

"Huh. You know, I spent a lotta time staring at the chick. Doesn't look like anything special. She like his little sister or somethin'?"

The other voice did not answer immediately. Then, finally, "All I know is covered in your briefing packet."

"I'm an auditory learner."

The other man sighed. "Her ladyship believes that because of their time together, he is sufficiently attached to the girl, that, at the least, he will pause and listen to our offer. They have no consanguinity."

There was a long and thoughtful silence. Finally. "Huh?"

"He is Furyan. She is not. Therefore they are not related."

"He's a what?"

"Furyan. A genetically engineered people. I believe this was in your briefing packet."

"Yeah, whatever. So he's a freak."

There was another sigh. Jack tried to picture the man. The man who drove them to the space port had a rough and uneducated voice. Toombs called him Dahlgren. She had a hazy recollection of two men in beige uniforms meeting them at a ship that was, now that she came to think of it, way too nice for mercs. One of them?

"As you say," the other voice responded dryly. "Her ladyship has gone to considerable effort to find out where he is and what might pique his interest."

"Peek his interest? I strip the girl before we wake her up, parade her around down there?"

"I would not recommend it." There was a pause. "She is awake."

"Huh?"

There was another pause. "It appears she is awake. I have found a satellite. I would like to bring it in and see if it can give us some information about whether Riddick is in fact here. May I put her back under?"

"Dunno, she might be fun to play with. Might keep the twins occupied too."

Eve made an exasperated sound. Toombs snorted. "Yeah, might as well. Keep her young and pretty as long as possible."

Everything went dark again.


	9. Thrones in Fields

**Chapter 9: Thrones in Fields**

"Order in the court!" Toombs shouted, smashing a gavel down on the judge's podium. He was wearing a black robe and a white wig. Jack stared at him. "What are you lookin' at?" he purred suggestively, making her skin crawl.

"You're a judge?" she asked him, feeling inane.

"Pretty much," he answered, reasonably. "Bring in the prisoner!"

"Bring in the prisoner!" Johns bellowed from the jury box.

"You don't have to yell," Riddick said, petulantly, from the back of the room. "I'm right here, sweethearts." Jack tried to spin the hard wooden pew, but couldn't. She just ended up craning around. He was dressed like the last time she saw him; Hawaiian shirt and shorts, only this time with a camera around his neck. She gave him a half wave. He winked at her.

"So, Riddick, you stand accused of," Toombs pulled out a large scroll, "eating babies, fucking chickens, and being a bad cook. How do you plead?"

"I've never fucked a chicken," Riddick answered. "What else you got?"

"I've got something," Johns stood up, pointed a finger accusingly. "I accuse you of being Carolyn!"

"Hey," Carolyn snapped from next to him. "I'm right here, you know."

"I'll make a note of it," Toombs said seriously, writing on a pad with his finger. "What do you accuse him of, sweet cheeks?"

"Raping corpses?"

"Sounds good." Toombs made a note of it. Or whatever he was doing with his finger. He seemed to sense that Jack was staring at his hands. "Young lady?" He let his tongue protrude ever so slightly from his lips.

She swallowed. "Nothing?"

Toombs shook his gavel at her, teasingly. "No, no, you're doing it wrong. What do you accuse him of? Don't gotta be a big thing."

"Abandoning me?"

Everything went quiet. Toombs's finger stayed poised above his pad. Jack looked away.

"I think it's stupid," Eve said from somewhere. "Really. So he saves this kid and leaves her on New Mecca. Good deed. And we're supposed to believe he'll be a little puppy dog as long as we've got her on a leash? This guy who massacred his own squad? If he wanted her, why didn't he just keep her?"

"I accuse you of cynicism," Toombs said, scribbling busily. "Been paid a whole lot to have a little faith in holy things, darlin'."

Eve shot back, "I accuse you of being a tool."

A vaguely familiar voice. "Please, Madam, sir, I am trying to speak to the AI. It finds you distressing."

"Yeah, yeah," Toombs grumbled. "Hey, Riddick?"

"Yo."

"You here?"

"I'll never tell."

"Is there something wrong with you?" The familiar voice continued, exasperated. "This machine is a hundred years old. It has an honest-to-god AI in it, and it does not trust you. Please be quiet. If we can convince it to cooperate, it will save us a lot of time. We'd rather not risk the girl. Once again, her ladyship calculates that we have a much reduced chance of persuading Riddick without her, or if she is harmed. And it is a dangerous planet down there."

"Gotta risk to win," Toombs snorted, playing with his gavel.

There was a smack. Jack opened her eyes. She was in a cryotube in a fairly good sized room on a shockingly clean spaceship. Toombs and Eve Logan were lounging, bored, watching an impeccably dressed man working delicately over an old fashioned satellite. Toombs's fist was raised above his hand.

She kept as still as she could, trying to take stock. It was a huge room for a space ship, and the lights were on. It didn't make sense. The energy needs to have a room like this were prodigious. She was in a cryo tube against one long wall. Across from her were four bunks, stacked in twos, separated by four cryo tubes. From what she could tell, this wall mirrored that one. _Eight man ship? _There were cupboards set into the walls. It looked like a combination living and working space. There was even a treadmill in a corner, and something that could be a type of weightlifting equipment. Or it could be used to torture someone. She closed her eyes briefly. The image of Riddick in the belly of the Hunter Grazner, limbs splayed wide on the wall, seized her. _Was Riddick ever tortured? _

_Of course he was, _a long suppressed part of herself whispered. _The way he talked about mercs . . . _She swallowed. _Jesus, what did that do to him?_

_Something turned him into a killer . . . _She closed her eyes. The darkness did not help. She opened them and stared at the three people focused on the small satellite. _They think he's here. They think they can use me as bait. _

_Jesus, what am I going to do if they find him? _

_What is Riddick going to do?_

_What is Riddick going to do to me? _

Her eyes went back to the contraption in the corner.

After too long with dark thoughts, Toombs interrupted her reverie. "Okay, I'm bored. You keep playin' while I get the kid ready. We're headin' down to the planet. I got some ideas where that bastard might go."

*

Things got very busy. Jack decided to close her eyes and feign sleep. It wasn't too hard, except when Toombs was right in front of her, fumbling with the controls. She could feel the cryo needle in her arm moving. Finally, she opened her eyes, licked her lips.

Toombs jumped, seeming startled that she was awake, but he covered up fast. "Hey, darlin'," he drawled. "We'll get you outta that tube in a jiffy."

"Are we here?" she asked, doing her best wide eyed innocence. Toombs grinned darkly.

"Oh, we're where we're goin'," he responded, cryptically. She looked down. Realized that the normally blue cryofluid had gone green. She swallowed

"What –what's that stuff?" She reached for the needle to pull it from her arm.

Before she could, Toombs yanked the cryotube open and caught her wrist, not hard, but controlling. "Just somethin' to help you relax, baby," he grinned again, all charm. "We got a lotta ground to cover, and we don't want you wiggin' out on us. Just give it a few more seconds. You woke up too fast, darlin'." There was a vague note of reproof in his voice.

Jack looked down at her wrist, caught in the man's hand. Swallowed. "Where are we?"

He rubbed her wrist, suggestively. "Just a quick stop, darlin'."

"Then you're takin' me back to Mercer?"

"You play along, darlin'," his voice dropped, "I'll take you anywhere you want."

Without thinking, she asked, "Are you gonna eat me?"

"What?" He grabbed her face, but gently. She relaxed into it. "Who told that? We don't eat people."

"Yeah. We're the good guys." Eve Logan came up behind Toombs, a hand on her hip, lips pursed.

"Huh." Jack blinked several times.

Toombs made an amused sound. Leaned forward, conspiratorially. "Everything's gonna be fine," he whispered into her ear, close enough his unshaven cheek scraped against hers. "Just stick close to me. Gonna make sure nothing happens to you. You're our ticket to Richard B. Riddick."

He might as well have kneed her in the stomach. She tried to jerk away. He didn't let her.

"Stop terrorizing the girl, Derek," Eve said, exasperated. Toombs rolled his eyes.

"I'm not terrorizing her. Just wanna pick her brains a little. Figure out the best way to do this."

Jack's voice was small. "I don't want to talk about him."

Toombs nodded. "Did he hurt you?" She tried to jerk away again. His grin broadened. "Oh, you're sweet on him, aren't you?"

She shook her head, still in his hand. He watched her shrewdly. Let her go, pulled the needle out of her arm. "Let's get you outta there, doll. I want you to see something." He led her, solicitously, to a table. Sat her down with a flourish, got her a glass of something sweet without her even asking. Eve trailed along. The third man, looking utterly incongruous in an impeccable beige uniform looked her over, clinically. For an instant, their eyes met. He looked away, face blank.

Toombs hit a control. A screen came up. "Riddick's first greatest hit," Toombs said, softly. "Watch this."

There was no sound. Just Riddick, in combat fatigues, part of a military unit. He looked heartbreakingly young. The officer was giving instructions. When he finished, almost casually, Riddick put his arm around the man in front of him, snapped his neck. The man next to him turned, weapon raised. Riddick smashed his nose with the heel of his hand. Somehow, he had a knife in one hand and a gun in the other. Bodies dropped around him. The scene ended with Riddick holding a gun to the officer's head.

"He's very good," Eve said, cynically. "I never get tired of the bit where he breaks that guy's spine. He's really not human, is he?"

Jack realized her cheeks were wet. Tears. "Why did you show me that?"

"Just wanted you to know what you're missing." Toombs grinned. "Your Riddick's a monster."

"He's not my Riddick."

"Isn't he?" He hit a control. There was a shot of Riddick, blindfolded, tied immobile, a bit in his mouth. "God damn it." Toombs fiddled. The imaged morphed to a shot of Riddick in a suit, in a courtroom. "Fuck," Toombs muttered. Then another of him in a black and silver uniform, an enormous gun in his hands. Then a shot of the two of them, at the New Mecca space port. His hand was on the back of her neck. She was kissing his cheek. She swallowed.

"What happened?" she whispered.

"You were there, darin'"

"I mean, the first time. Why'd he kill those people?"

"How the fuck would I know?"

"Was there audio in the recording?"

"How would I--" Toombs broke off, suddenly looking suspicious. "Hey, smart boy!"

The man in beige looked up. "Yes?"

"I wanna hear what Riddick said. You know. Get into his head."

The man shook his head. "That is not permitted."

"What the fuck?"

"It touches on military matters for which you are not cleared."

"Cleared for what? Toombs snapped. "The man fragged his crew. How's that a military secret? What the fuck aren't you tellin' me?"

The man in beige shook his head. "I am sorry. My government assured the imperium that the audio would not be disclosed."

"Well, don't that just tell me something."

"What?" Eve asked, innocently. Toombs's eyes narrowed. Before he could respond, the beige man broke in smoothly.

"It was scrubbed from the recording."

"You heard it in all its glory first?" The tiniest flicker passed over the man's face, but it was enough. "Tell me what happened." Toombs had his hand on his gun.

"I'm sorry, I cannot."

Toombs drew the gun. Aimed it at Jack. "Tell me, or I shoot the girl."


	10. Bull on the Mountain Top

**Chapter 10. ** **The Bull on the Mountain Top. **

I'm lost in the dark and it's pissin' me off.

There'd been a girl. I remember. At least, I think she was a girl. Maybe my girl. Maybe my little sister. I can't remember that. Just that she was there and she was warm and when she smiled at me, it made me feel good.

And I can't find her.

That's also pissin' me off.

There was a guy. He had a flashlight and a shiny gun. I killed him.

Or something. Details are all hazy. I remember my fingers sinking deep into his flesh, but that makes no sense unless I used to keep my nails way pointier than they are now. I sometimes remember him exploding like silly string, but people don't usually do that when I kill them.

I'm cold. Thinking of the girl makes me remember what it was like to be warm. Pissin' me off.

Maybe I shouldna killed that guy. He was down here in this fucking maze with me. Mighta known the way out.

Might know where the girl got to.

Might know who she is.

I can't remember.

My stomach twists. Something's going wrong and I'm fucking lost in the dark.

* * *

Jack's limbs felt heavy, drugged. Nothing seemed real, not even the gun pointing at her. _What would Riddick do?_

_Kill everyone. Except me. Maybe. _Beige man spread his hands, placatingly. "Mr. Toombs, please."

"Please what?"

"Please don't kill the girl."

Theatrically, Toombs switched off the safety on the gun. It made an audible click. Like someone had souped up the click for dramatic effect. She rolled her eyes at him, just a bit. For an instant, something amused flickered in his. He growled to the other man, "you better start talkin'. Or this mission's over."

The beige man turned to Eve. "Miss Logan, please."

She shrugged. "It's his game. Gotta say, from what I hear about Riddick, she might be better off shot in the head."

Beige man slumped. "Mr. Riddick discovered that his crew was being sent on a suicide mission."

The gun didn't waiver, but Toombs snorted. "So he killed 'em? That don't make sense."

The man sighed. "The company had impregnated each member of his crew with a biological warfare agent. They would have been captured, they would have been brought to the enemy's home world, they would have been executed and they would have . . . spread a fatal contagion."

The gun didn't move. "So he's a god damn hero. Just for the other side. Sweet. Why'd he care?"

"Triage," Jack murmured. Everyone looked at her. She shook her head. "Johns called it triage. I never got that before. They were going to die anyway. He saved as many as he could." She closed her mouth hard. There was a long pause.

"Shit." Toombs stared at Jack with far more intelligence than she liked. "So we just gotta threaten to kill a lot of people and he'll give himself up? That ain't hard. So we don't really need this girl anyway."

Jack's eyes went, oh so slowly, to the beige man. He had the grace to look guilty. He cleared his throat. "Mr. Toombs, our intelligence suggests that Riddick would not be amenable to that sort of blackmail. He is not . . . generally community minded. We believe he thinks in terms of individuals. He was angry at the company for putting them in that position and . . . aware it would not be a good death for his crew."

"Huh." Toombs scratched himself with the gun, seemingly lost in thought. "Still don't make sense. Riddick was in a convict crew. He woulda been chipped. His CO shoulda been able to drop him as soon as he raised a hand. And wouldn't he have had the bio-whatzits in him?"

Beige man spread his hands again. "Riddick's unit was not chipped. They were commandos, not infantry. Too great a risk. As for the agent, Riddick is not human-standard. It may not have taken."

Toombs scratched himself, again, with the gun. "You human, darlin'?"

_No. I don't think I am. _"As far as I know."

His lips twitched. "So, brain boy over there thinks that we offer Riddick you, he'll follow along like a little puppy dog. Whatdya you think, darlin'?"

Jack stared at the gun. Looked up at Toombs' face. He was grinning. She nodded, seriously. "Bite me."

"Hey." Toombs tapped her on the forehead with the muzzle of the gun, not too hard. She didn't flinch. He did it a second time, harder. She let her head rock back. He smiled, satisfied. "Okay. Before wake up the twins and we let brain boy work in peace, let's get some stuff straight, darlin'. I drugged you to make you cooperative. Truth tellin'. So I wouldn't have to hurt you. Gonna give you another dose." She shut her eyes. "'cause we aren't supposed to hurt you. But I will if you aren't cooperative. So think hard how much you wanna piss me off."

_I can't handle this. How much do I want to die?_

Finally, she gave him a small, tight nod. He smiled broadly. "Good girl. I'll make sure you get a cookie." He stood. Holstered his gun at last, went to a panel and started pushing buttons. "Okay. We're in orbit around a lovely, now-uninhabited planet that used to be called," he glared over at another panel, "Audhumla? Who the fuck comes up with these names? We've got reason to believe your boy Riddick's down there. You know anything about that?"

"No. He didn't tell me where he was going. I haven't seen him for years." _And the lie. _"I thought maybe he was dead."

There was a hiss and a small panel opened. Toombs removed a hypodermic needle, came over with a grin. Gave Eve a nod. She came up behind Jack's chair, put her hands on Jack's shoulders. Toombs put his hand on Jack's head, right where he'd tapped it with the gun. Very slowly, he tilted her head back, exposing her neck. His tongue slid out of his mouth as he readied the needle. His grin expanded. "This might hurt, darlin'." He slid the needle right into her throat. She tried to stay still as the world spun around her.

After an eternity, he pulled the needle out. Jack slumped in her chair.

"That hurt?" Eve asked her, almost nicely.

Jack felt her eyes prickle. "Yeah. I gotta go to the bathroom." Toombs snorted. Jack stood. Almost fell. Eve steadied her.

"Okay, I'll take you."

Toombs snorted. "She don't need to go to the bathroom, Eve_. _She was in cryo until twenty minutes ago."

"Shut up Toombs." Logan helped her across the room, down the hall. It felt like her feet weren't quite reaching the ground. The bathroom was tiny. After a moment's hesitation, Logan let her use it alone.

Jack sat on the toilet, forcing herself to breathe evenly. _These drugs are gonna make me useless soon. _ Felt in her pocket. Found the shiv she'd taken from Yunas a lifetime ago, and her pod. _Stupid mercs. They didn't even check. _She stuck the shiv deeper in her pocket, pulled out the pod and turned it on. _Three weeks. I've been with mercs for three weeks. _

There was a message saved from Yunas's mother. Her pod must have picked it up before they left the system. _Would the mercs have intercepted it? _

A great wash of dizziness engulfed her. She whimpered. There was a knock on the door. "Jack?"

"Just a minute," she muttered.

"Just making sure you're okay."

"Dizzy."

"Sorry, kid, Derek's special mix can do that. It gets better. You'll be pretty happy once it kicks all the way in."

"You're really gonna use me as bait to catch a mass murderer, aren't you?"

There was a long silence on the other side of the door. Finally, "Yeah, kid, that's the plan. Look. They want Riddick alive, and they think you're the best way to make sure that happens. No one wants to hurt either of you."

_I can't listen to the message now. _Jack shoved the pod deep in her pocket. Took a deep breath and walked out of the bathroom.

* * *

The drugs were bliss. If she hadn't been so cold outside on Audhumla, she could have been happy. Jack had to concentrate hard on putting one foot in front of the other. If she didn't, someone moved her. Usually, it was one of the twins, Dahlgren and Balgren. They liked touching her. She knew she should care about that.

She was dimly aware that the first four places they checked were busts. They'd been settlements, and ghostly signs of habitation speckled the landscape. For no reason she could put her finger on, it made her homesick. Maybe it was the drugs. She kept her head down.

The mercs all had real cold weather gear. They'd just let her layer what she'd brought with her, except for a hat Eve tossed her. She was glad to have it.

The fifth place was colder, and the drugs seemed to be wearing off. By the time she got back to the ship she was shivering so violently that the beige man got very testy with Toombs.

"I told you, it is important that she not be damaged."

"I ain't givin' her cold weather gear," Toombs said flatly. "Make it too easy for her to bolt. You make any progress with the satellite of love? Where is the satellite of love?"

"In an air lock. I will return it to orbit as we leave." The beige man's tone was accusatory. "It flatly refused to divulge any information. It did not believe you were authorized."

"Well ain't that the shit." Jack sank to the floor, wrapped her arms around her knees and buried her head in them. "Kid, you okay?"

She looked at him. "Cold," she murmured.

Someone sank beside her, put an arm around her. It was Dahlgren. "Shit, kid, you're freezing." She started to pull away, but she was so cold she couldn't bear to move away from his warmth. He cuddled her close. She let him.

"Toombs, we gotta give her a break," he said, seemingly concerned. "She'll catch her death. Lemme warm her up."

"Did you hear what I said, asshole?" Toombs shot back.

"We could cuff her," Dahlgren said reasonably. "Cuff her hands behind her back, she's not going to be running off in a wild world, even if we do give her a scarf."

"Might not stop Riddick from just grabbin' her though." Toombs stomped over. She slotted her eyes up at him. He was grinning, but there was an edge to it. "Lot you can do with a girl with her hands cuffed behind her back, even if you do like her." Jack let her eyes drop. Started shaking harder. "You really don't like that idea, do you toots?"

Dahlgren started to laugh. "I know that twinkle in your eye!"

"You win," Toombs grinned. "I'll scrounge up a poofy coat for the girl. Hey, brain boy!" this was to the beige man. "Since you're done playin' with your satellite, you're comin' with us this time."

* * *

The fifth place was at the foot of a mountain, right at the edge of a glacier. It was a rabbit warren of rocks and ice. Even trees, big, twisty ancient looking things. A few times, Jack thought she saw squirrels. There was enough animal life that the ship's sensors were not much help.

The drugs had almost completely worn off. She pretended they hadn't.

Something was following them. Something big. Something Toombs hadn't noticed.


	11. The Keys to the Invisible Kingdom

**Chapter 11: The Keys to the Invisible ****Kingdom**

Dahlgren and Balgren were staying close to her. Toombs was far out front. The beige man who had never been named was hanging behind. Jack had lost track of Eve. Jack began shifting her arms subtly, trying to remember what Riddick had taught her, once upon a time, about not having your hands cuffed behind you.

_The last thing he taught me._

_This is going to hurt. A lot._

There was a soft sound to her right. Another heavy thing, moving quietly. She made herself not look. That's two. One behind and one beside.

_What if that's not Riddick?_

_Why the hell would it be Riddick?_

_Oh yeah. Cause I'm bait for a Riddick trap._

"Hey, kid," Balgren put his hand on her shoulder. Gave her a shake. "Stop fidgeting. You're making me nervous."

"Sorry," she muttered. "My arms hurt."

He moved closer, squeezed both her shoulders. "Want something? I got some pain pills."

She swallowed. Risked looking back at him, uncomfortably aware of how intimate this must look. "I don't get it."

"What, kid?"

"Why are we just wandering around these places? If Riddick's here," her voice cracked. She swallowed, continued. "If Riddick's here, he'll hear you long before you find him."

"That's the plan." He almost seemed to regret it. Let her go and stepped away.

"Then what? He picks you off one by one? Why didn't you, I dunno, blanket the planet with messages inviting him to come talk?"

"That's a fucking good question. Hey, Goat Fucker." That seemed to be directed at Toombs. "Why didn't we just call Chosen Boy?"

"You got his number, Goat . . . fucker?" Toombs called back. His voice echoed strangely among the rocks. Something flickered to her left; something big and quiet. Jack closed her eyes.

"Who else might be listening?"

"I tried," the beige man materialized close to Toombs. He had a piece of equipment he was watching. "Our first four orbits, I sent messages on every frequency. No hint they were received."

"Before you defrosted the rest of us?" Toombs' tone was casual. Too casual. Balgren's breath hissed out.

The beige man did not seem to hear. "Yes."

"You thought that was a good idea?"

At that, the beige man looked up from his equipment, his voice dry. "Yes. I would have preferred to discuss the matter with him at a great distance."

Toombs rolled his eyes. Then he pushed the man hard enough that he fell to the ground. "I meant, did you really fucking think it was a fucking good idea to talk to the fucking target without fucking telling ME?"

The man scrambled back. "Are you crazy?"

"That's not the fucking POINT!"

The merc crew all turned towards the kerfuffle, looking amused. Jack eased back. She heard a soft noise, this time to her left. Close. Like they were surrounded. Fear trickled down her spine. She started to move her shoulders, feeling Riddick's hands taking her through the moves –

It happened too fast. Three blurs of whiteness, bigger and faster than men. One killed Balgren, his gun half raised. Eve got off a shot. It hit into the trees. A thing of whiteness charged her. Jack lost track as one of the blurs rounded on her.

_Not Riddick. _Much taller. Claws. Fur. She made one last effort to get her hands in front of her, then stopped. Tilted up her chin. _Do it, _she thought, clinically. _Make this story end here. _

There was a noise. The thing shrieked. A spray of blood erupted, hitting Jack across the face. It had been shot at close range by a small caliber gun by the beige man. The beige man's gun was no match for this thing. The monster broke his neck with one swipe, grabbed his corpse, and ran, almost silently, into the woods.

The other monsters roared. And were gone. There was a moment of silence.

"Bastards!" Dahlgren screamed, started to run for the woods, arm dangling strangely. Eve grabbed him.

"Let them go, Dahl."

"They've got my brother!"

"He's dead, Dahl."

Dahlgren slipped to his knees, breathing hard. Jack swallowed. Eve was untouched. Toombs and Dahlgren were bloody. The other two men were simply gone.

_They're gonna eat them._

_That man saved my life. I never even knew his name._

_I killed that man. If I'd called out that they were out there . . ._

Eve was there. She ran her fingers over the blood spatter on Jack's face and throat. "You okay, kid?"

Jack nodded. Their eyes met for an instant. Jack looked away, blinking back tears.

Toombs turned on his communicator. "Emergency evac," he barked. "Pick us up. We got wounded."

* * *

Dhalgren had a concussion and a broken arm. Toombs had four cracked ribs and a bruised lung. Jack and Eve were untouched, though Jack's shoulders ached. They let her sit at the table while Eve patched up the guys. Toombs immediately pulled a headset and started going through computer logs, grumbling darkly as he did. He had a bottle of whiskey beside him he kept tapping with one hand.

The pilot was prepping the ship for launch, clearly doing tasks the beige man used to do. "What's your name?" Jack asked abruptly.

He looked at her with sad eyes. Kept at his work. After a long time, he said, "You can call me Kennett."

"I never knew your –partner's name. He died for me."

"You are important," Kennett responded. He rubbed his face. "His name was Silbury." Toombs snorted, put the headset aside. Poured himself a shot of whiskey, eyes hard on Kennett. Kennett gave him a nod. "We need to consult with her Ladyship. I recommend we go to Polyphemus Station to use their equipment. It is not far."

Toombs poured a shot. "Brutal place." His eyes tracked over to Jack. He downed the shot. "Good place for buyin' and sellin'." From down the table, Dahlgren made an appreciative, bitter noise. Toombs pushed the bottle towards him.

"Down below," the pilot said. "The upper regions are quite safe. A good transportation and communication hub."

"If we're gonna recruit muscle, we won't be in the upper regions."

"She may decide to go another way with this mission."

Dahlgren shoved the bottle back to Toombs, who poured another shot. "Yeah. I might too." His eyes went back to Jack, thoughtful. "So, baby, did Riddick pop your cherry already?"

"Toombs," Eve said sharply. "Let's ride this one out for a while. There's a lot of money on the table."

"Lotta money, and bad intel. And I think we were being played." He hit some buttons unsteadily and an image of the beige man appeared, his ghostly voice emerging from hidden speakers.

". . . you will be well compensated. And you will be able to assure the safety of this young lady . . ." the image shifted to Jack, in cryo restraints. "Once the job is done, your record would be cleared, you would be well compensated. The ship would be yours. If you wish to disappear with the girl, we can assure that no one will look for either of you. Or we are happy to arrange for the two of you to settle anywhere we have influence. My employers would prefer not to put either of you in danger. There is no need to revive the mercenary crew that accompanies us. . ." Toombs flipped off the recording. His eyes were hard.

"That was not our deal, 'Kennett.'"

The man spread his hands, placatingly. "We meant no harm. You would have been compensated the same if he had responded."

Toombs downed another shot. Looked at Jack. His voice was only slightly slurred. "So, darlin', they were gonna sell you to the big bad. You know why they think he's got such a hard on for you?"

Jack glared at him. "No."

Toombs snorted. "Tell me what you do know."

She started to shake her head. Eve caught her eye. _Give him this, _she seemed to say.

"When I was a kid, we were just on some fucking ship that fucking crashed. We survived. All these people died--" her voice cracked. "All these people died and we didn't. That all we've got. That's--" She shook her head. "It's a real thing. But it's not really that big of a thing."

Toombs's face softened slightly. He shoved the whiskey bottle at her. "Have a drink, darlin'." It almost seemed like an apology.

_What the hell. _Jack took a tiny sip. It made her feel warm. She took another. Toombs grinned at her. "Thanks," she leaned back in her chair. "Hell of a day."

"Yeah," he responded. "Sorry about that."

_Are we having a moment? _She took another sip to cover her confusion.

* * *

Jack was back on the skiff, with Riddick. He was trying to teach her strategy using a chessboard out of the skiff's emergency supplies.

"This bit's easy, kid," he grunted. "Hunter Grazner was a pawn. That's what you've gotta remember. You're on a knight now. Doesn't move like you think it should." He moved the tiny pieces on the tiny board delicately.

"I'm on a horse?" she asked, irrelevantly.

He snorted. "Something like that. You can get a long way on a horse. Though you're going the wrong way." He looked at her, appraisingly, and they were on horses, spinning around and around on a merry-go-round. The center was mirrored and the reflections seemed to fall into an infinite center.

Ziza was riding a walrus in front of her, laughing. Jack laughed, a brittle, choking sound. Riddick grinned at her and dismounted. He seemed to be falling for a very long time before he landed, gently, next to a dragon. He patted it. It snorted softly, a small burst of flame erupting. "Queens are the best," he said, with great satisfaction. "But bishops ain't so bad either." He took two steps, swung Ziza off her walrus, started to move purposefully away from the mirrors. Jack slid off the horse and chased after him.

"Not for you," she scolded.

He grinned at her. "Don't think that's your decision." He jumped off the wheel. Jack leapt after him. The ground wasn't moving right and she fell to her knees. He turned to her, concerned, setting Ziza down. Ziza laughed and ran back to the merry-go-round, swinging herself back on easily.

Balder nuzzled her face; making a soft snuffling sound. She missed him so much it hurt. She wrapped her arms around him, used him to leverage herself up.

"Are you with me?" she asked. She wasn't sure who she was asking.

Riddick took a step towards them. "Do you want me to be?" His voice dropped so low it seemed to be coming from the ground beneath her feet. There was a curved knife in his left hand. He reached towards her with his right. Balder growled.

She opened her eyes. Toombs was standing there, a strange grin on his face.

"We're here, darlin'."


	12. Snakes in the Woodshed

**Chapter 12: Snakes in the Woodshed**

Toombs helped her out of the cryo tube with exaggerated solicitude. Like she had value. "Hey, kid, you pack a change of clothes?" Eve called. She had Jack's satchel in her hand. Jack took a step towards her. Toombs got in the way.

"No time for that, Marvel Girl," Toombs looked Jack up and down slowly. "She looks okay."

"It's the smell, Derrick," Eve shot back. "And we're not going until Dhalgren gets back, remember?" But she dropped Jack's satchel to the ground.

Jack followed it with her eyes. "Where are we going?"

"Meet some archeologist chick." Toombs rolled his eyes. "Your buddy Kennett went ahead to explain how things got all frelled up."

"Some archeologist chick?"

Toombs shrugged. "Yeah."

"Is this Mercer?"

"Not as such," Toombs' voice was laconic. "You're going to your other home."

The hatch hissed open. Dhalgren came through, something curled in his hand. "Got it."

"Fun." Toombs held out his hand. Eve made a disapproving sound.

Dhalgren stopped right out of arm's reach. "I wanna do it."

There was a long pause as the two men looked at each other. Toombs finally rolled his eyes again. "Fine." He stepped back.

Dhalgren came very close. Close enough that Jack knew he'd been awake and drinking for a long time. "You know what this is?" He said, his voice silky soft.

"No."

He held it up so she could see it more clearly. "Slave collar," he whispered. "Just in." He ran the back of his hand down her face.

Her stomach dropped. "That's sick." She tried to move away. Toombs wouldn't let her.

Dahlgren grinned, mirthlessly. "This is sick? My brother's dead 'cause of you. Killed by a fucking Abominable Snowman." His hand moved down to her throat. His fingers were deliberate and not quite hard enough to bruise.

"Stop torturing the girl, Dhal," Eve said. "It's not her fault. Just snap the thing around her throat and let's go get rid of her."

Dahlgren nodded. There was an audible click, and something heavy and cold was around her neck. _This day just keeps getting better._

_

* * *

_

"No."

Kennett looked pained. "Ms. Nara, please-"

"No." The archeologist shook her heard. "I am not transporting a slave. We don't have slaves in Coalsack."

Kennett looked pained. "Her ladyship was very clear-"

"I submitted a expedition proposal. It was accepted. I did not ask, and will not accept, slave labor."

"Look," Toombs ground out. "All you have to do is stick her in cryo and take her where you're goin'. No one's askin' you to get your pretty little hands dirty."

"Getting my hands dirty is my job. This is far worse than dirt."

Toombs poked Jack. "Tell the nice lady you wanna go with her. I'm dead certain she'll be nicer than us."

Jack looked at Nara. For an instant, their eyes locked. For that instant, the archeologist seemed to waver. Then the other woman looked away. "My mind is made up," she said.

"Her ladyship will not be pleased," Kennett said.

"Fuck," Toombs said, but he didn't look too unhappy. "Okay. Guess we can't make you do it. Dahl, take our little buddy back to the ship. Kennett, let's call the old lady."

Dhalgren grinned. "My pleasure."

Dahlgren made her carry her satchel like that was a bad thing. Jack waited until they were almost to the ship. Then she bolted. She made it five steps until blinding pain dropped her to the ground. Dahlgren sauntered over. The pain stopped abruptly.

"Guess I forgot to mention something about these collars," He said, almost sweetly. "They're wired. You do anything I don't like," he held up a piece of equipment, finger at ready "and ouch." He flipped a switch and the pain was blinding.

But mercifully brief. He crouched down. The few people in the corridor were glancing at them, but no one seemed surprised. "Contrary-wise," he whispered, "It can do this." He hit another control. There was a pause, then a wave of desire crashed over her more intense than even her best dreams about Riddick. She groaned.

"Why are you doing this?" She hissed at him.

"'cause I can," he answered. "Because you got my brother killed. Because you're nothing but bait, and I might as well have a little fun before you get eaten." He pulled her to her feet, turned her around and shoved her up against a wall. She felt something cold on her wrists. Hand cuffs, cuffing her hands behind her, awkward under the satchel. "Come on." He shoved her ahead. "Don't worry, baby. I'll give you what you need."

By the time they got back to the ship, her arousal had faded to a dull throb. And she had the cuffs off of one wrist. The pain of dislocating her thumb almost made her black out more than once. Dahlgren hadn't noticed.

He stepped away from her, took a drink directly from the whiskey bottle. She kept her hands behind her. He grinned at her. "Lemme help you with that." He lifted the satchel off of her, turned slightly to set it aside. She kicked out his knee. He dropped. "Bitch!" he was struggling for the controller. She grabbed him around the neck, digging the chain deep. His hands flailed at the control, but she couldn't knock it away. A surge of pain, a surge of pleasure, a deep, orgasmic feeling –

He went limp. She held on a few more seconds, then let go. He slid to the ground, a nasty deep red mark on his throat. She scrambled for the controller. Took her entirely too long to figure out how to switch it off.

She patted him down for the key to the cuffs, uncuffed herself, then cuffed his hands behind his back, looped around the table. She tried to figure out how to take off the collar, but there was no catch. She sobbed for an instant. Went back through his pockets. Nothing but the controller itself.

_Think this through. _She stared at the controller for a long moment. Tiny. A toggle switch with three settings and a dial. A tiny recessed hole in the top. The toggle was in the center position. She pushed it to the left. Nothing. She moved the dial. Nothing.

_Person wearing the collar must not be able to use it._

_I don't have time for this._

_Think. It could have a tracker in it. Pretty stupid to run if they know where you are._

She took a deep breath. Went to a supply locker, found a pair of welder's gloves. Slipped them on. Hit the switch again and moved the dial.

_Pain. _Switched it back, panting. Stared at it again. Found a piece of wire, fed it into the hole. Held the dial down. There was a click in the collar. It opened. She yanked it off.

Dahlgren made a sound. She darted back to him and clicked the collar around his neck. His eyes flickered open, full of raw hate. She kicked him hard in the temple. He went limp again. She grabbed her satchel and she ran.

_Lower levels. Hope that's not a euphemism. _It didn't seem to be. Two levels up she dared to stop and slip on some shoes. Four more levels up she paid the fee to use a public restroom and spent some time searching through her satchel, looking for a tracking device. Nothing jumped out at her. She stripped off the clothes she was wearing, rinsed her hair, face, and hands, and changed into something more presentable. Realized she still had the controller. Dumped it and her dirty underwear down a recycling tube.

Every level higher seemed more civilized. She zigzagged up a total of seventeen levels before she finally stopped and looked at a map.

_Commercial passenger level._ Two move levels up. She dared a direct trip, straight up an elevator. No one gave her a second look.

First stop was a private communications terminal. Squaring her shoulders, she sat, took out one of the bills Riddick gave her, and fed it in. She pulled her console out and plugged it in. It was almost out of power, but the station offered to recharge for a modest fee. She fed in another bill.

First message was from, sitting obediently on her machine for months. Angela Hyperion. _My lawyer. Wow. I forgot I had one. _It had been sent the day she left. It seemed like years, even though in total hours awake, it was less than a day. "Jack," the woman said, looking haunted. "I am so sorry. Don't go to Mercer. I have gotten the custody order quashed. If the ship you're on goes through a checkpoint, they'll be ordered to take you back. If you get this message on Mercer, go straight to the Coalsack embassy. I am sending a formal request that they help you."

There was a second message, sent months ago, received once she plugged the pod in. Also from Angela. "Oh Jack. I'm so sorry. That ship that took you was traveling under forged documents. If by some miracle you get this, get away. Go to the Helion embassy. Or any allied embassy. Any but the El – go to humans if you can. They will help you. Bring you back to us."

Jack stared at Angela's image. There was a third message, sent a week after she'd been taken. This one from Abu. Her finger hovered over the keys. _Fuck it. _She opened it. "My daughter. Please – call me. Let me know you are well. I miss you. We all miss you. Especially Balder."

_Balder_. She missed him so much it hurt.

There were four messages from Yunas. _I can't handle this. _Pulled up a transport schedule. Ship to Coalsack. Ship to Earth. Ship to Helios. She could go anywhere.

_Go look for Riddick._

_If he knew that guy almost raped me, he'd rip him to shreds._

_He'd spend days dying._

She made her hands still.

_If I could find him. _She closed her eyes.

She pulled up the ship to Helios. It even stopped in New Mecca.

It was leaving in twenty two minutes.

Her hands were trembling again.

The ship was called The Owens. It seemed like a good name. It had an available cryo berth.

She remembered the hate in Dahlgren's eyes.

_I could be an engineer._

_Or I could be bait._

_Or both._

_I miss my dog. _She closed her eyes. She felt Riddick's hands on her shoulders, guiding her through the moves.

_The brutal moves._

_The moves he knew would hurt me to do._

Riddick's voice shivered through her. _"Do you want me?_"

"Stupid question," she said. She hit reserve, pulled the silver chit from her pocket, let the machine scan it. The pod reserved her spot, told her to hurry. She nodded. Took the time to send her flight information back to her lawyer.

* * *

"Rise and shine, sleeping beauty," someone called softly. Jack opened her eyes. A man in a porter's uniform gave her a nodd, kept going. Jack shook herself.

"Wait. Where are we?"

"We're in orbit around Helios," the man said with a polite smile. "Your stop."


	13. Riding in Shiny Space Chariots

**Chapter 13. Riding in Shiny Space Chariots.**

The drop shuttle was comfortable enough; sixteen plush seats and a small restroom. Jack was the only passenger. She watched The Owens dwindle in the distance for an eternity. Finally, she pulled out her console, plugged it into the nexus. Messages began down loading. And they kept down loading. She watched them scroll down the screen for a very long time. Most from people she'd never heard of.

Finally, she called Angela Hyperion. Angela's personal assistant put her right through. "Jack," Angela said, her voice slightly choked. "My god. I was so glad to get your message. Are you okay?"

_How the hell do I answer that?_ "Nothing broke that won't mend," she said finally. "What –what's going on here?"

Angela's lips quirked. "Have you been getting your messages?"

"Not really. I've – I've mostly been in cryo."

"Okay. Well. We got the removal order quashed. Your citizenship went through. You'll have to take the oath to make that official; I will set that up for this afternoon. Unless you have other plans." Jack snorted. "And Abu has adopted you."

"Great." Jack was surprised at the bitterness in her voice. "Can we get that undone?"

Angela scrutinized her. "Because he handed you over to those people?" Jack shrugged, feeling her face twist. "Oh, Jack." The compassion in Angela's voice made Jack's eyes hurt. "I will help you as much as I can. But Abu's – I question his choices, but I know he's not your enemy. He loves you, and he was devastated by," she paused, seeming to check herself," by losing you."

There was a message in that pause, but Jack didn't care. "Then why the fuck did he call my family? They hated me. The things they did to my-" she stopped abruptly, unsure of what she was going to say.

"You'll have to ask him," Angela said, softly. "But if I was your family, I would have wanted to know what happened to you. For what it's worth, I do not think Abu understood the political situation. And that's not his fault."

There was an awkward silence. Angela broke it. "While you were gone, he got his appointment to the House of Commons. Rumor has it he's on the short list for being kicked upstairs."

Jack shrugged again, rubbing her eyes again. "Whatever."

"You're bruised," Angela said. "Is there anything I need to know?"

Jack stared down at her wrists. There were indeed bruises blossoming on the skin. She had forgotten to look. "They might come after me. I kinda escaped from . . . I kinda escaped."

"I know," Angela said, all business. "The people who took you tried to force the carrier to give you back. Fortunately, the shipping line values its port of call here, so we were able to prevent that. Abu was very helpful there."

"Huh?"

"There has been quite a court battle about your custody. Fortunately, we were able to show that your family on Mercer were paid off to sign the extradition request. The courts here were not impressed by that. Especially when facing such a well respected grieving foster father and a natural family who seemed slightly panicked at the idea of you actually being returned to them." Angela scrutinized her again. "Are you alright, Jack?"

"Since when do mercs go to court?"

Angela's lips twitched. "When it suits them. They were hired to do a job, you know."

A few things slipped into place. "By someone who paid off my father's family."

Angela's eyes were steady. "Yes."

"Who?"

Angela shrugged. "They have thus far declined to identify their employer. But I have been making inquiries."

"So I might still be in danger."

"Jack, we forget it here in Helios, but life is dangerous. As far as I know, there's no safer place to be."

* * *

And there it is. Helion Prime. All gold and shiny in the sky. Still smaller than my fist. Shining so bright it hurts. I shield my eyes from it.

I feel stupid. All I gotta do is turn up the glare control. I clench my first around it and look away.

These fuckers are so trusting. They let me land, they let me leave the space port, they let me wander the city streets at night.

I'm a good boy. Cause no trouble. Go where I'm goin'.

Abu's house.

Where I left her.

It's dark and quiet. I slip into the back yard, stroll up that old oak. It's bigger than I remember. Time has passed. But it's just as easy to climb. The bark under my hands feels so right.

I'm right below her window.

There's a part of me raging that this is flat out the dumbest thing I've ever done. I should not be here. I should not care. I should not want.

I should not move these bars.

Fuck that. I put these bars in. They're mine to take out.

Yeah. 'Cause that'd be smart.

I pull up the last few feet and stare in. The light's all weird. Takes me a second. Then I see her. All grown up. All grown up and on her back and smelling like sex. With some asshole on top of her.

I stop thinking. The bars melt away and I'm in the room, I'm breaking that asshole's neck, I'm flinging his dead body off of her. She starts to scream, but I don't let her. My mouth hard on hers. My hands are on that grown up body, and it's fucking sweet. I can't think. My dick is out and I'm fucking her. She's fighting me, and I can't think why, she's so wet and warm and tight. She goes for my eyes and I finally grab her hands, tell her to relax. She freezes. Says my name like it's a question, and I cum, hard. Lay there panting.

"Riddick?" she says, again, sounding so much like a hurt little girl I jerk back, feeling hot and prickly. Jerk all the way back outside.

No, not _back_ outside. I'm still outside.

I'm still outside, staring through bars at an empty bed.

She's not there. If she's fucking some guy, it ain't in here.

Wacky.

I take a deep breath. Touch here, and here, and here. The bars slide away. I slip in. The bars slide back. I pad over to the bed. Neatly made. I lean over, breathe it in.

Her bed. I know it. I've slept in it. I can smell her in it. But she hasn't slept in here in a long time. And if she's fucked anyone in there, I can't smell it.

I sit, heavily, on that soft bed. Run my hand over my own head. Shocked at the hair. Why the fuck didn't I shave? Poor kid might not even have recognized me, no wonder she freaked out. Or if I'd just kept my mouth shut -

No. I didn't do it. It wasn't her. It wasn't me.

I prowl around the room. Looking for something. Looking for some hint. But the room is tight. Gives away nothing.

I slip down the stairs. Peer into my old room. It's full of shelves of things I don't wanna look at. I keep going. Search the house. Only one room is occupied. Abu's. The door opens for me without a sound. Nice. Bed. Abu, on his back, snoring. A woman next to him in a nighty so white it hurts.

I glare at Abu, wishing him awake. Don't wanna deal with the woman. But she's the one who sits up, all ice queen. "There you are," she says, bein' all obvious. And the wackiness keeps on coming. She smiles at me like she's glad to see me. Somehow, we're in the kitchen, sitting at the last table Jack and I ate together. There's a fancy teapot and fancy tea cups. Tea ain't bad.

She's still smiling that happy-to-see-me-smile. "Are you ready to wake up?"

I consider that. Take another sip of that tea. Think about adding sugar. Finally, I shrug. "Sleepin' pretty good these days. Sleepin' the sleep of the righteous man."

Abu butts in. Guess he woke up. Or something. "We need you. _She _needs you."

I frown at him. Fucker. I told him to make sure she didn't need me. If she does, it's on his fucking head. "_She _needs me to stay the fuck away from her." My face feels hot. Pissin' me off.

White Lady's lips twitch like that's funny. I finger the shiv in my pocket. There's something round and hard I don't remember putting there. She doesn't give me time to think about it. "If the universe was a better place, perhaps. But there are teeth in that darkness." Her voice makes it clear she's used to getting what she wants.

I shrug, fingering the heavy thing.

"I can give you the girl," she says. My fist clenches in my pocket. "But you have to do something for me."

And I believe her. I really do. And I want her. I really do. I miss her so much it hurts. And my cock is way too fuckin' interested.

But I'm a big boy. I shake my head, force my hand to relax. "Lady, you don't fuckin' know me. Besides, if I wanted the kid, I woulda kept her."

"You want her," she says. And somehow, we're in a fancy car, and she's driving. I'm sitting in the passenger seat, watchin' the world go by. I lean back, eyein' the controls sideways. I'm not above killin' the driver, but you gotta be careful.

Thing's got a rear view mirror that almost makes my fucking heart stop. Jack's in the back seat, with Abu. She's reading something. Like it's no big deal we're together.

I crane around in my seat so much it kinda hurts. It's really her. "Hey, kid," I say. My voice cracks slightly.

She looks up and rolls her eyes at me, then deliberately looks down at the console on her lap. "You know I gotta get through this." But she gives me a grin, like she likes me, and something inside me unclenches for the first time since I was behind those damn bars. I exhale at last, turn back in my seat.

I slot my eyes towards White Lady. "See?" I say. "She's busy. Doin' what I want her to do." More than I wanna fuck her, yeah. A whole lot more than I wanna fuck her up.

"Becoming who she is," our lady driver says softly. "Very noble of you. And when she becomes?"

Blah blah blah. I just stare at Jack in the mirror. "I'll make you a deal," White Lady says. "I'll give you what you want. I'll make sure she grows up hale and happy before it happens. But you have to do something for me."

I don't mean to say it, but I do. "What?"

"Become who you are," she says. "Do what you were born to do."

I grunt. Jack snorts. I keep my mouth shut. But I know what the deal's gonna be. I give Jack one last hard look in the mirror and force myself back to that sleep of the just. I ain't listening today. Not today.


	14. Teeth and Hair

**Chapter 14: Teeth and Hair**

It was still morning in New Mecca when Jack landed. "Jack. Welcome home." Angela stepped forward, her arms wide. Jack hesitated, then stepped into the embrace. For an instant, it was warm and painfully maternal. "It'll be alright," Angela murmured into her ear. "Don't mind the heavily armed boys and girls." Without waiting for a reply, Angela swept her away from the gate. The four armed men and women silently fell into step around them.

"What's going on?" Jack asked, softly.

Angela shrugged. "Just being careful." She smiled, showing a little teeth. "A judge is giving up her lunch hour to swear you in. There is a teeny chance someone will try to delay us. I threw a little money at the problem."

Jack felt her back stiffen. "I can pay you back."

Angela's hand tightened on Jack's arm as they went into a bright hallway. "Don't worry about it. You're the love of my son's life. I'd never hear the end of it if I let you get deported."

Something in Jack melted slightly. "Yunas."

"Yeah. Sorry he's not here; I wanted to keep it as quiet as possible. I was worried about all the whooping in joy he's gonna do. He really likes you, you know."

"I really like him," Jack said. She swallowed. "But – those guys who grabbed me. They might go through him to get to me. I've been thinking that maybe I should," she stopped, swallowed again. "Break up with him."

"Very noble," Angela said, a strange note in her voice. Then it went away. "And a little grandiose." Jack laughed, involuntarily. Angela gripped her knee. "Look, life is full of risk. But it's not like you've got an infectious disease and need to stay in quarantine for the rest of your life. And you can't live your life separate from people love to protect them. You'll go whacky."

They emerged into the sunlight. There were two air cars waiting. Without a word, two of the security personnel took one, the other two went with Jack and Angela into the other.

As they buckled in, Jack asked, finally, "why?"

"Why what?"

"Why shouldn't I worry? Why are you willing to risk yourself and your son for me?"

"Welcome to civilization, sweetie. At least this one."

"Huh?"

"We take care of our own. That's why you need to take the damn oath." She hesitated. "Abu signed the application. I recommend we get this done, then talk about whether you want to sever ties with him. Bringing it up now will delay things. I don't think that's in your best interest."

"Anything specific?"

Angela's lips pursed. "Yunas, bless him, got a copy of the custody order that day they grabbed you. Good thing too, as the official version was "missing." It was also nonconforming. You should have gotten notice and an opportunity to object before it was issued. It wasn't legal." She hesitated. "I'm still working on this, but it seems that someone has a tap on your name in the system. When I filed the citizenship application, some bot sent a notice to someone in the mercenaries' guild. Your family on Mercer signed off on having you returned years ago. The custody order was issued years ago. File copy went 'missing,' and the copy that went out the building was, as you know, not delivered until they day you applied for legal residency. You know what that tells me?" She didn't want for Jack to answer. "Tells me who ever was watching you was happy to have you here, as long as you didn't have any legal rights."

"Shit," Jack whispered.

Angela shook her head. "I think it's a good thing. Says that they were afraid of you getting rights. So let's get those locked down." She looked out the window. "My investigator tracked down the clerk who frelled up. She admitted she signed off without giving you notice. She said it was because she felt sorry for your family who missed you so much, and their representative persuaded her you'd bolt again if you got that notice. She swears she didn't lose the official copy."

"Do you believe her?"

"Let's just say that it's one thing to gloss over paperwork errors to get some runaway from another world back to her putative family. It's another thing to hand a citizen over to members of the mercenary guild without a full, adversarial hearing. With lawyers." She grinned.

"The mercs could still take me. Violence is always an option."

Angela's lips quirked. "Not those mercs, not without having to face charges. Look, they could try. Last kidnapping of a citizen we had on this planet was in a child custody dispute. It was fifteen years ago, and the girl was gone for three days before they tracked her down. Those microchips under the skin make it _real_hard to disappear people."

They made their way to a pillared courthouse near the center of New Mecca. Security was unobtrusive, but omnipresent.

They entered a courtroom during a manslaughter trial. They sat quietly in the back, listening to an expert clinically explain how some man's negligence had let someone die. Jack wanted to check her messages, but everyone was listening politely. After too long, the judge recessed the court and ushered Jack and her party back into her chambers. "Angela," the judge said with a smile. "So this is the young lady?"

"Yes, your honor," Angela said with half a bow. "Thank you so much for doing this."

The judge shrugged. "A happy thing. Please sit. Tea?"

"Oh yes," Angela said with a smile.

The bodyguards did not sit. Angela did. After an instant, Jack followed her example. The judge cast an eye over the security personnel, then went to a small teapot. Poured three cups, handed them around. "To a better world," she said.

"Your lips," Angela murmured, taking a sip. Jack followed suit, feeling surreal. _If __Riddick __could __see __me __now__.__.__._

The judge smiled at her. "So. Ms. al-Walid. I've reviewed your file. Helios would be lucky to have you. You have a brilliant future as an engineer ahead of you."

_Yay, __me, _Jack thought. All she said was, "Thank you."

The judge shook her head. "I need to know that you are doing this with your eyes open. I need to know you know what rights you are giving up," she paused, her intelligent dark eyes searching Jack's face, "What obligations you are taking on, and I need to be confident that you are what you appear to be."

"Okay," Jack said, uncertainly.

"Who are your parents?"

_Do __I __even __fucking __know?_"Ariadne and Bertrand Parnell."

"You were born on Mercer?"

"Yeah."

"Any other immediate family?"

"Why?"

Angela broke in. "Because they might be able to claim citizenship through you. Given the relations between us and Mercer, that could be awkward."

"Not any more. I had – I had a brother and sister, Radne and Dion. But they're dead."

The judge nodded. "I'm sorry, Ms. al-Walid, I am sure this is painful. But I need to hear it from you. I understand you have been adopted?"

"Yeah. I guess. Abu al-Walid. He's – yeah."

"You understand that Mercer and Helios formally cut ties about seven years ago. Thus, you are required by law to renounce your citizenship to Mercer to get citizenship here. Do you understand what that means?"

"Not really."

"It means you have to give up all rights and privileges you have as a citizen of Mercer."

"I'm good with that," Jack said.

The judge nodded. "Becoming a citizen of Helios isn't just about getting a passport and an identity chip. It means you swear to be a part of our civilization. To help build better worlds. To participate. To vote, to pay taxes, to obey the law, to show up when called. Do you understand?"

_Do __I? _Some sort of response seemed required. "Yes. I do."

"Good. Finally – is there anything we need to know? I've read your application. I've gone over your school records. It's clear to me you're smart, you're hard working, you have friends and a dog who love you. What it doesn't tell me is why someone would go to the trouble of bribing people on one world, tricking government officials on this world, and then just watching you for four years until the day you decide to become a citizen. What are we getting into here?"

Angela's exhaled noisily. "Your honor-"

The judge raised her hand. "I need to hear what Jack has to say."

Jack looked up at the ceiling. "Look, maybe this is a bad idea. If you don't want me -"

Angela put her hand on Jack's arm. "It's a reasonable question. You can't live your life in the shadows. It's much safer in the light. Doesn't mean you have to give all the gory private details."

There was silence. Jack looked out the window into the sun drenched sky. "Okay. I don't know. But I think-" She stopped, took a deep breath, and tried again. "When I was twelve years old, I was on a transport that crashed on some . . . terraforming failure or something. Almost everyone died in the crash, almost everyone else died when it got dark. Except for three of us. Me, Abu, and . . . this other guy. Escaped prisoner. Some merc had caught him and was taking him in. Guess he's a bad guy. But he saved my life. He saved Abu. He got us here. Those mercs want him. They think we're in touch or something. There's a really big bounty on his head."

"This man is a wanted criminal."

"Yes."

"Do you know where he is?"

"I absolutely do not. I haven't heard from him in five years." Her eyes prickled. "I think – I think saving us was like his good deed for the decade. Then he moved on. I don't know if he's even alive any more."

The judge took a sip of tea. "Why would they do this?"

"Because they said they were looking for him. Because they cuffed my hands behind my back and dragged me around places they thought he'd be." She rubbed her right wrist, which was beginning to ache. "Because they had video of me saying goodbye to him when he left here."

The judge's eyes were on her wrists. Then they raised to her face. Jack had the feeling she hadn't really answered her question. "Because they didn't think I mattered. They thought they could use me as a means to an end because I wasn't really part of anything." Her voice choked. "I want – I want to be part of something. Something worth being part of."

"Well. Ms. al-Walid, I am proud to swear you in. Stand up."


	15. Blood and Bone

**Chapter 15. Blood and Bone. **

I'm fighting some fucking thing and I keep losing count how many tentacles it's got. Do know it's got five mouths crammed with teeth. Been fighting it forever. There's something I'm supposed to do when I finish, but I can't remember what any more. It's wrapped itself around me so tight I'm not sure I'll hold together when I'm not fighting it any more.

We're in the water. I don't remember getting into the water. It pulls me down forever. I let myself go limp. Waiting. Dunno why I haven't drowned. Decide not to poke that thought too hard.

After an eternity, a squad of penguins shoot by. Tentacles lets me go to grab at them. I shoot to the surface. Penguins swirl around me.

Fry floats by on some sorta inflated beach chair holding a pink drink in one hand and an umbrella in the other. I grab at her. She pokes me with her umbrella.

"You still having fun out there?" she asks. I growl. She splashes me. "Whenever you're ready to go back in, let me know. They're probably sick of waiting."

I feel the tentacles whispering up my legs again. I kick at one. I should ask her for help. "Will there be beer?" I ask, my voice rough.

"Beer and cookies, the breakfast of champions," she shoots back. "If you're done wrestling with little Cthulhu there."

I start to tell her it's not some fucking game, I'm fighting for my life, but she pokes at a tentacle with her umbrella. It backs away like it's a skittish kitten. I'm fucking sick of being in the fucking water. I wake up in a cryo tube. It's pitch black and fucking cold.

I stumbled to the head, piss forever, glare at the fuzz on my scalp, find a hat and a sweater. Stumble to the cockpit. It don't make me happy. I've been asleep for eight fucking years.

Eight years. It makes no fucking sense. I don't sleep in cryo. Not hardly.

Focus on other things. Communication array was knocked clean off my ship by a rockslide. Gonna have to try to fix that before takin' off. Might be other damage. Gonna have to do a survey.

Later. The array knocked off in the middle of getting a message from my pet satellite. Seems almost eight years ago, a little ship visited my little winter wonderland. Pretty ship. Looks like high end government ship survey ship, heavily customized. Been in ships like that, back in the day.

Back when I was a commando. When I killed people 'cause other people told me to.

Huh. Suddenly, I'm ravenous. Head to the mess. Supplies are lower than I like. Except for the hundred pounds of freeze dried banana chips. I grab a handful, chew them slowly. Brew a cup of tea, find some nut flavored protein paste. I'm so domestic.

I shake myself, open the nice fat datapacket the satellite streamed down. It starts with video of the ship approaching the satellite, broadcasting command codes. Satellite knows them, but it's resisting. Good dog. Two mechanical arms extend, snag the satellite, take it inside. Things get confused after that.

Its cameras aren't built for this, but there are images. Two blurry geeks in beige. Bad shots of folks in cryo tubes. One looks vaguely like Derek Toombs. Hadn't thought of that asshole forever. They're tryin' to get my satellite to give up info, and it's resisting. Good dog. It gets some info itself. Ship that snagged it claimed it came from Colchis. Huh. Keep hearin' that name. It's an archeology ship. Guess that makes sense. Since they're all dead.

Except Jack.

Signal shuts off abruptly. I rock back. This message was sent eight years ago. Eight fucking years. And it didn't wake me up. Why didn't it wake me up?

Because my ship's stupid. It was waiting for the end-of-message code. Which never came, thanks to a certain rockslide. I roll my eyes. Dumb ship.

Or maybe not that dumb. That rockslide caused damage, and the ship went deep hibernation to keep me alive. Another rockslide cleared the first, the solar cells soaked up a recharge, and the ship woke up.

I've been entombed. Folks came, maybe lookin' for me, and they missed it because some fuckin' butterfly flapped its wings.

Wacky.

Plus side, I've been quiet as a mouse. Probably everyone buys the Riddick is Dead story. As long as Abu and Jack kept stuck to the story.

My fists clench. Force 'em to relax. Have to move on. Can't live my life obsessed with a twelve year old girl.

No. Shit. They grow up so fast when you're in suspended animation. She was almost grown up before my last nap. Now she's almost my age.

All grown up. Probably forgotten me. Best that she has.

My hands hurt. I'm clenching them again.

Decide to go for a walk, see the sights. Something woke me up, after all. Might be something fun. Something I can sink my teeth into.

* * *

I ain't been walkin' fifteen minutes when something catches my eye. Something sticking out of a block of ice. Something fun.

Takes me a minute to hack it free with a rock. It's a blaster. I heft it in my hand. Only a tiny charge left, tingling warningly. Makes my hand cold even through the gloves. I tuck it into a back pocket, look around.

Something must have landed near here. Nothing screams landing site, but the blaster in my pocket tells me it wasn't too far. Fuckin' too bad they didn't hang out until I got up. I coulda used the company.

Feel myself grin. Company. Yeah. If only Jack had been with them.

I feel my grin turn into a grimace. Yeah. If only Jack had been a six foot two heavy worlder ex-marine with mercs on her trail and medals for marksmenship. Then maybe we coulda hung out a while. Then maybe we coulda -

I force myself to stop thinking about it. Look around. Found a gun, wonder what else is here to be found? If I'd dropped a blaster, where would I be? Like a fuckin' yellow brick road, I see it. Something heavy comes past here often, following the same shining path to the cliffs.

Pull a shiv. It's warm. I like it.

The path isn't long, just twisty. Pretty soon, I'm at the cliffs, which are full of cracks and caves. Pick the closest. Jackpot. It's full of broken bones and piles of fur. Whatever lives here knows how to nest. Doesn't seem to be home. I dig around the nest a bit. I find clothes. Cold weather gear. Looks like two people. Dig around a little more and find their wallets. Sweet. Tuck them away. I hear something big. Between me and the door.

I keep my breathing slow, thinking it through. Something lives here. I'm in its home. It's like me enough to wanna nest. It doesn't shit in its own home. I listen for its heartbeat and hear it. Slower than mine. Heavier, like it's got a lot of mass to feed. Probably eats penguins; I can't remember anything else that could sustain something that would need this nest. I turn around.

It's big, two feet on me at least. Heavily furred. Eyes set ahead like a predator. Bipedal, at least right now. Curving claws coming out of big paws. It's beautiful.

We stand looking at each other for a long time. Finally, I take a sideways step, away from the nest. It just watches. I take another. It flares its nostrils, turns around, and is gone. Huh.

I pull the shiv again and jog out of the cave. I can't see it, but I see its track. Heading down the mountain, towards the ship. Fun.

Hear something behind me and instinct takes over. I spin as something white leaps. The thing? Can't be the thing, it's in front of me. Too tall. It takes a swing for my head and I duck under the blow, step forward, stab. Feel it go in, but even up to the hilt, it's not enough. Thing's got an arm around my neck; if it was human, I'd have a problem, but it's not that flexible. I stomp on its foot and it lets go, shoving me away hard. I stumble, spin, and it's aimin' a blow across my middle with those damn claws. I block it and get a swipe across my arm for my troubles. Right where I cut myself so Jack and I could have our special moment.

All I can do to hold on to the shiv, slippery now.

Thing roars, and I hear something behind me. Okay, got it, there's two of them. Gotta finish this. It's holding back now, maybe I did hurt it; maybe it's waiting for its buddy. My arm's bleeding; no time for that now. I grip the shiv tight and launch at it. It raises its arms to swat me down but I'm ready now; use them to leverage up, get it in the eye. It drops. I fall on top of it. It's buddy gets there just in time to see us.

Doesn't make it happy, that's for sure. It launches at me, and I roll, almost losing the shiv in the process. It gets a glancing blow which nearly takes me out. I kick out where its knee should be. Would drop it if it's human; this just sends it back a step. I get to my feet.

It's the one from the cave, I'm sure of it. And it looks betrayed. Squash a stab of sympathy, try the eye thing again. Musta understood what I did to its buddy because it slaps me to the ground, hard, and dives after me. I roll. It fucking bounces after me like it's gonna squash me.

Finally remember that heartbeat. My body knows what it means. I relax and let the damn thing think it's got me. Gonna squash me flat, yes it is. Only I've got the knife ready. As it comes down, my knife goes up, sliding through that tight skin. My hand follows right along after it. The thing screams something that almost sounds human, tries to get away. I wrap my legs and free arm around it, thrusting my other in deep. My blade hits something hard bone and I hold tight, making it slide past, slide home. I feel the heart beating for one glorious moment. Then it stops. It drops to its knees. Then it drops.

Well, this is nice. 250 kilos of ice monster, warm and wet, pinning me down and my arm quite a ways inside. Shiv's stuck on a rib or something. I let it go, I yank myself out, collapse against it. Feel a pang of regret. Woulda made a nice pet.

Body's cooling already. Can't stay here. Every predator around's gonna want their piece of this. That's a whole lotta meat. Realize I'm still hungry. Man cannot live on banana chips and protein paste alone.

Can't remember if I can eat this. I hear myself sigh, roll it onto its back, go back in fishing for my knife. It hits me it's a girl. Hits me that she found me in her cave and she let me go. Finally get my knife free. Go over to the other one, and it's pretty definitively male. I glare at it. "Fucker," I say, my voice rough. "If you'd had the good sense your mate had, you'd both be huntin' penguins right now." I suppress the urge to kick it. Tempted to leave them both for scavengers; not lovin' guiding everything back to my little ship. Decide to bring the female. She's lighter, and shit, my arm is still bleeding.

If I can eat these things, might come back for the guy. If not, that skin'll be warm and those bones useful. If they can keep an edge.


	16. Swinging Penguins

**Chapter 16: Swinging Penguins.**

Day three awake on the ice. Still no penguins. Pity. Getting' a little tired of eating ice giant and banana chips.

Fixed the communication array. Done what I can here with the ship here. It'll fly. Just not above 10,000 feet. Not without explosive decompression. The rockslide ripped some holes I cannot fix with patch compound and ice giant hide.

I can fix this ship. Just takes a little more metal sheeting than I've got handy.

Suspect there's metal sheeting back at the old settlements, over at the balmy equator.

Man cannot live by not-repairing hulls alone. I spend some quality time with those wallets I found. One guy, Balgren "Smith," (yeah, right) was a card carrying guild member merc. The other was some sorta geek. Neil Silbury of the Colchis exploratory expedition. Also has Elemental consular ID. Like he was important. He was here, and he was important.

Makes my skin crawl.

I found some human bones that I think belonged to the two of them. Worries me a little that they seem to have come together. Since when do geeks and mercs hang?

Both smaller than me. Good incentive to slouch.

Cyrus Borson has a nice set up on this ship he gave me. That I took from him. That I killed him for. I almost like him. Think about being him. Just, you know, with a merc guild card and consular ID. And not bein' dead.

Wish I knew if anyone was missing the guy. Who would get all interested if I showed up with his name.

Jesus, it's like I miss him. Like I feel bad for killing him. That don't make sense. I met him for fifteen minutes. Like I owe him shit.

I miss Jack.

Decide to mix it up, just in case I run into someone who knew these assholes. One set of ID I change to Cyrus B. Richards; one I change to Silbury Smith, one I change to Neil Borson. Silbury. Be a good exercise in keeping a straight face. Don't even try to play with the consular ID, but I do keep it. You never know.

Don't play with the images too much, but I find some stimulant that lets me grow my hair even faster. It's warm and every merc knows Riddick's a clean shaven man. Get the ship to make me some brown contacts. I look so wholesome.

I also spend some time circling the terrain from where I found the blaster. Can't figure these guys walked all that far in the cold if they didn't have to. Didn't find a ship or any evidence of a landing strip, which leads me to suspect it was the same ship that my pet satellite saw. None of the burn marks your standard merc ship leaves. Like the folks who owned the ship were rich enough to be ecologically correct.

Wish I believed this had nothing to do with me. But Jesus, why send an actual fucking government ship after me? Only government that cares about me is millions of miles away and any secrets I know are old news.

Old news.

Hard truth; old news is all I got. I asked the satellite if it'd gotten any news from the civilized galaxy and it got all cryptic. Showed me some grainy images of battles, but it couldn't tell me where they came from. Dumped a bunch of data about some god damn archeology project not all that far away. Most of it encrypted. Took me a while, but I figured out it was from Colchis. Again. Why does that name keep coming up? First person I connect to for a million years hales from there. A ship from there comes here. Got a suspicion that the people who settled this place were from there too; it's the nearest planet and they high tailed it outta here about the time the Colchis high tailed it outta there. That's old news, on Borson's computer. All these mystery people high tailed it to Mercer. Where, according to this here computer, they all disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Ten thousand soldiers and their families. Except first, one of 'em gets knocked up by a local and out comes Jack.

Who gets left behind. Left behind for me to find. Left behind for me to leave behind. Left behind for -

Time to fix the ship. I fly, low and slow, to one of the equatorial settlements. Takes hours.

* * *

The park was drenched in sun. Balder was romping off-leash like a puppy. Jack was pushing Ziza on a swing, higher and higher. Ziza was laughing, delirious.

Balder started barking, frantically. "You'll have to pump, Z," Jack called. Headed after her dog. He was in the woods. "Balder!" He barked again, sharp and happy. And then there was a wet noise and the barking stopped.

_Shit, _she thought. Started to run. The woods were bigger and darker than she thought. "Balder!"

There was a whimper. She burst through a thicket into a clearing. It was sunset, suddenly, and Balder was too still at the feet of a dead man. The man grinned at her, showing teeth. "Hey, little sister." His low voice caressed the last word. She took a step back. He stalked forward, black and silver against the sudden twilight. "Remember me? Childhood's end. All your fantasies. Ready or not."

She opened her eyes blearily, confused, in an old soft bed. The morning sun was streaming through a big window and an alarm was chirping cheerily. _Huh?_

She lifted her head. Balder's tail thumped hopefully. She reached down and scratched between his ears. He rolled over, paws in the air. She sat up, rubbed his graying belly. "You old hedonist you. Not dead yet."

He wiggled with arthritic stiffness, despite the drugs. She redoubled her efforts as long as she could. "I'm gonna miss you most," she whispered. He looked at her with soft, concerned eyes. "Okay, that was weird. You goin' somewhere old friend?"

Balder's eyes were sad. "Oh, right. I am. Work. Right." She pulled herself out of bed.

"I dreamed about my brother Dion," she told him_._Balder looked at her quizzically. "You never met him. He was kind of an asshole.

"I gotta dress nice today."She threw open her closet. "Shoulda done laundry." Her clothes went heavily to the utilitarian, and the few suits she had all needed cleaning or repairing. She passed her hands over the clothes, pausing when she got to a particular dress. Lajjun had bought it for her when she went shopping with her and Ziza for Ziza's tenth birthday. Dark green and loose fitting; not the most professional thing she owned but she liked its deep pockets. She pulled it over her head, adjusted it slightly.

"I look like I'm fourteen in this thing, don't I?" No one answered. "Okay, maybe sixteen. Yeah. That'll impress the clients." She rolled her eyes at herself.

She went to the mirror and yanked a brush through her hair. It had gotten ridiculously long. She thought, again, about grabbing scissors and hacking most of it off. But she liked the way it spilled over her shoulders in this dress, the way it had spilled over her shoulders and down her back at Yunas's wedding last month.

_Not that I wanted to show up the bride, _she thought, with hardly any second thoughts. _Plus, not the best day to get all self-help on my hair._

A dog sighed. She looked up at the mirror. Balder was still on the unmade bed, looking at her sadly. "Sorry, old boy," she murmured. "No regrets. You're right. I'm just maudlin today. Bad dreams."

His tail thumped twice, though he still looked sorrowful. "You know I gotta go to work. You gotta take care of everyone here."

From the floor, Leonides's tail took up the thumping. Xena, who had curled beside him, grumbled. Jack shook herself.

"Come on, guys," she said. "Meeting with the Balor Corporation bigwigs today. Someone's gotta put food in everyone's bowls."

* * *

I lock up the ship, because some of those penguins are darn tricky, and go prospecting. First few stops are busts, but the third is fun. These guys left a junk room. They had weird junk; broken tea cups and sex toys and lots of doors, just stacked up against a wall. Unfortunately, cups are china, the sex toys plastic, and the wall's are duraplast, but whatcha gonna do? There's also a stack of flimsies. Children's educational material, from what I can tell. I slip them into my pocket. Maybe Jack would like them.

Jesus. I gotta stop thinking of her as a thirteen year old. She's like twenty five now. All grown up. By now she could have children who might like these.

The thought of Jack pregnant makes my heart accelerate like an ice giant just poked his head in. I lay my hands flat on a duraplast desk and think about that. Why does that make me freaked out? I like kids. I would like her kids. I could play uncle. Push 'em on a swing, teach 'em to floss.

My hands want to curl into fists. I resist. Force myself to breath normally. Let my mind drift where it will and it goes right back to bed. Her small body against mine, my fingers on her throat, feeling her heart beat accelerate as I say stupid things to her. I told her not to fall for a killer because I wouldn't be there to break the guy's neck. And then I walked away. Fallin' for a killer would be about the biggest fuck you she coulda given me. That or joined up with mercs. And I gave her a fucking reason to say fuck you. To say fuck you in a way that'd get her hurt. My hands win.

Jack, a merc. Jack, a merc with babies. The image cools me off enough that I manage to unclench my fingers. I hear myself snort. Next I'm gonna be freaking out that she's become an astrophysicist and is in danger of solar flares or a cultural anthropologist and is in danger from what ever the hell stalks cultural anthropologists these days. Jesus. She's just this girl I happened to meet. Why the hell am I so fucking _focused _on her?

I'm so fuckin' introspective I almost don't hear a ship land.


	17. What Happens Underground

**Chapter 17. What Happens Underground**

I peer out the crack. The new ship is small, shiny, and new, with the same Colchis Exploratory Expedition logo on it that Neil Silbury had on his ID. Two people clomp down the ramp in cold weather gear. I think one's a chick. The other's got muscle. They head straight for the center of the settlement. I stay still until I can't see them any more.

Ease out the door. My ship's fairly inconspicuous, such as it is. Trouble is, there's a breadcrumb trail of my footprints in the snow. I sigh and rub a hand over my way-too-hairy face.

Doubt they're lookin' for me. No one lookin' for me would send out a two man crew, and that ship ain't big enough for serious containment devices. So they're doin' something not-me related.

Not that they couldn't get interested if they notice. Don't really trust that holy man didn't tell someone where I was. Maybe someone important. Someone with diplomatic ties and embassy ID?

I snort softly at myself. Okay, that's kinda ridiculous. But they'll definitely know I'm here if I take off. In my damaged ship. What would a normal person with a damaged ship do?

A normal person would have sent out a distress signal. I snort again. Well. Looks suspicious to be skulking in the corners. Guess I'll go say hi.

I move quietly across the old town. Hits me that a ship like theirs should be able to tell me where there's suitable metal. Might even have some. Time for friendly Riddick.

No. Not Riddick. Probably not a name anyone would recognize, but I did tell Abu where I was goin'; if he rolled on me, there might be a flag. Silbury's a problem; weird enough name they might recognize it. Cyrus B. Richards it is.

I get close enough to hear their voices, all muffly, inside a building I haven't checked out yet. I stop and listen.

The woman: "Thanks."

The man: "I hate this place."

The woman: "Hand me the spanner."

The man: "Still hate this place."

There's a whirring sound. Then a crack. The woman seems to fall back. "Get me the other spanner?" she says.

The man: "Jesus. You okay?"

The woman: "Yeah. You didn't think this was the easy job, did you?"

I knock on the door. There's a moment of silence, then the door is flung open. There's a man who looks so much like dead Balgren Smith that I almost step back. The woman is holding a broken spanner in a very firm fashion. I grin at her.

"Hey," I say, pitching my voice high and friendly. "Saw you land."

The man glares at me suspiciously. "Who are you?"

"Name's Cyrus. Cyrus Richards." I give him an amenable nod, inventory his arsenal. It's pretty good. Two blasters, including one that'd take down a small ship. Or an ice giant. A belt knife long enough to get an ice giant's heart. Probably small smaller shit in his left sleeve. Not bad.

He hesitates. He's clearly trying to figure this out. Finally, he gives me a big and friendly smile, meeting my eyes. Glad I'm wearin' contacts. "Smith. Dhalgren Smith." He sticks out his hand.

I look at it for a long moment, then shake it. Glad we're both wearing gloves. Glad I didn't say I was Balgren, 'cause I'm pretty sure they're related. "Good to meet ya."

The woman approaches. The spanner has disappeared. "I'm Doctor Mei Nara," she says. Her smile is wary. "We did not know anyone was here." She does not glare at Dhalgren, but I know she wants to. Interesting.

"Glad to see you," I say with a special smile, just for her. She doesn't offer to shake my hand and she lets me know she's skeptical of my intentions. Smart lady. "What brings you here?"

They exchange a look. They've got a cautious rapport. Also interesting. Geek and merc, if I don't miss my guess. The geek answers. "We're – I'm – a scientist. Studying what happened to these people."

"They left," I say, definitively.

"I suppose we're interested in . . . what they left behind," she says. "What brings you here?"

I study her for a long moment. Oh, what the fuck. "Just passin' through. Ship took some hull damage. Looking for something to mend it."

She relaxes. "Oh," she says. "Oh. We might be able to help you." She looks, sideways, at Dhalgren. He shrugs. "How extensive?"

"Coupla glancing blows," I say, easily. True enough for strangers. "Three, four square feet of hull will get it done. I was lookin' for metal sheeting."

"We can check our supplies," she says. "The people here have been gone a long time. What they left behind is probably . . . damaged. But you knew that." I shrug. There's a pause. Finally, she continues. "Dhalgren, could you take him to the ship, see what we've got?" He looks uncertain. "You can leave me a gun," she says, acerbically.

"Didn't help my brother, doc," he says, darkly. "And the ice bitch'll have my nutsack if I lose another girl 'round here." She stiffens and something dark flits across her face. Interesting. I look from one to the other.

"No hurry," I say. "I'll keep poking around. Just wanted to say hi."

She gives me a strange look. "Actually, maybe you could give us a hand?"

"Doin' what?"

"Getting this hatch open?" She sees that I'm tempted. "We can pay," she says, definitively.

I cock my head. I'm interested. Me, helpin' out a merc. Worked for me last time. Still, I hesitate. I hear the words come out of my mouth. "You the good guys?"

Dhalgren snorts. But the woman's eyes sharpen. "I'm trying," she says, and I don't think she's really talking to me. "I'm trying _real hard." _Her eyes meet mine, and even through the contacts I know, all the way down, that she's telling me the truth.

There's an awkward silence. I look at Dhalgren. "What about you?"

He grins. "I'm just the muscle, bro. Only in it for the money." The woman snorts. "And, okay, what happened at Coalsack freaks me out. Real come to Jesus moment, you know?"

She sighs, and I know he's telling me something important he wasn't supposed to tell me. I also think he's telling me the truth. I just don't know what secret squirrel truth he's telling me. Really gotta brush up on current events. I wrinkle my brow. "You think this place has something to do with Coalsack?" I say.

The woman nods, slowly, seems to make the decision to join in telling me secret squirrel truths I don't understand. "Yes. The people who lived here fought off the Necromongers longer than anyone else did. We're hoping to figure out what they knew."

At the "N" word, I feel myself get hot. "How do you know I'm not one of them?" I hear myself say.

"You're alone and have a whole lot of unruly facial hair," she says, shortly. "That's not the Necromonger way."

That N word again. I hate that word. And I don't know why. I have to fight my real voice coming out. "I'll help you get this door open."

* * *

We get the hatch open and Dhalgren and me follow science woman underground into tunnels dug into the dirt. She keeps making soft noises like she's happy. No idea what she's seeing with all her little screens, so I pay attention to the dark.

After several minutes of following the lady, Dhalgren speaks up. "I hate this place," he says.

"Yeah?" I say. Like I care.

"Yeah. My brother died here."

I make myself stop and seem to chew it over. "Sorry, man."

"Long time ago," he says, expansively. Like he really wants to tell me about it. I force myself not to sigh. Woman's getting ahead. I start walking again.

"What happened?" I say. Again, like I care.

"Some fuckin' Yeti monster killed it."

Huh. I might have killed the thing that killed his brother. Huh. "That why you got the rocket launcher?" I ask.

"Yup."

"You lookin' for pay back against a monster?"

He actually stops and gives me a look. I stop too. "No," he says darkly. "Not against the monster." He sighs. "It's stupid. He died doin' a job, and doin' right. Died fightin' monsters. I should be proud. But some times, I miss him so fuckin' much, you know?"

And I do. I let him see that. "Yeah," I say. "Yeah."

He makes a fist and punches me, just a little bit. I let him. We're havin' a moment.

I'm glad when the woman makes a noise like she's found something. I catch up fast.

* * *

"Oh goody," Dhalgren says. "Another hatch. Nara, you've got yourself a superpower."

She's running some piece of equipment over the door. "We all have our crosses to bear," she says absently. "This thing is hardened." She pulls out a spray bottle and starts spraying the door with something that makes my eyes water.

I step back. "Whatcha doin?"

"Cleaning off the control panel," she says, absently.

"Got quite a smell to it."

She looks at me. "You've got a better nose than me. I can barely smell it."

Dhalgren snickers. "Delicate princess nose?"

"Or something," I growl. Stupid. That was Riddick voice. They don't seem to notice. I slip into the dark. Remember, belatedly, that I'm not supposed to be able to see in the dark and call back "I'm gonna rest my eyes a minute. Yell if you need me."

"You got it," Dhalgren says, settling down against a wall. "I think I'll do that too. Geek lady could be a bit."

The contacts make everything blurry, but I can see some things. This looks like it was dug quickly. The walls are fused dirt. Not built to last; the sort of thing you do for exploratory tunnels or the first stab at a basement. Why dig this deep and just stop?

The smell hits me again and I move a little faster. Dunno what she's using, but I don't like it. The tunnel turns, and I'm grateful; the cleaner smell drops, the fusty smell of the underground increases. And something else. Something that makes my nose twitch.

Someone's written something on the wall. I stop and stare at it. Written in blood.

"Life prevails."

I lean in close and give it a sniff. The copper/iron smell tickles. My eyes water. And I notice another smell.

I follow the tunnel deeper. That's where I find the bones.


	18. Stones and Bones

**Chapter 18: Stones and Bones**

I crouch down and rub a hand over a leg bone. Human, or something close.

Most of the bones are scattered, like something blew them apart. And mingled in the bones are weapons.

I don't recognize all of them.

That makes my blood run colder than it's run for a long time.

I help myself to a few. Some small guns. Several combat knives. Notice that someone dropped a necklace with green stones in a gold setting. I like it. I slip it deep into a pocket.

I push through, quietly, trying not to step on any remains. Round a corner and find four soldiers, still in uniform. The scavengers didn't touch them. Their flesh has dried and shrunk to their bones. Wacky.

I stare at their uniforms. Black on black, with black highlights. I hate them. But I'd look good in them. I crouch and run a hand over one. Even through my gloves I can feel the quality. Think it'd fit. I help myself to the stuff in one man's pockets. Keep going round the next corner.

Feel myself swallow before I really understand what I'm looking at. Children. Dead. Their bones scattered. I reach down for one and my fuckin' eyes are watering. Jesus, I'm gonna start bawling. I jerk away and glare at the wall.

It doesn't go all the way to the ground. Just all the way down to the body. Another guy in a black on black uniform. I want to kick him. I settle for crouching down, fitting my fingers under the slab, and pulling. It hurts. I pull harder.

It gives way and rolls silently into the ceiling. Turns out only half the guy was wedged in there. The rest of him isn't here. I blink at the room. It's fuckin' dark in here. Yeah, I can see in the dark, but this dark means business. It almost hurts. I close my eyes, and when I open them, there's something in the dark.

Oh, goody, I'm having a vision. A woman. Long hair, green eyes, tall, and strong. My dick twitches. She's got a knife in her hand. She's holding it like it's heavy.

Two more of those assholes in the black and silver are circling her. I step forward. I hear the door close behind me. Awesome.

"You have to believe," one says, all sincere. I wanna smack him. "Pasi, you have to believe in the better world beyond. Come back to us. Let us show you."

She shakes her head. "And let you keep killing children, Dion? My daughter? Your niece?"

The one she called Dion shakes his head. "You don't understand, sister," he says, gently. "I love you. I want to be with you forever. But that child," his lips twisted. "That was a mistake. Let me help you fix it." He has his hands out and open, not quite threatening.

She laughs, a brittle sound. "No. You're backing the wrong team, Dion. Please. We figured it out." She gestures with the knife. "We figured out how Covu hooked us up to the special playground in the afterworld. And we know how to close the door."

"Dion," the other guy says. "End this."

"Try," she says. "I kill you with this," she brandishes the knife in a meaningful fashion, "and you ain't riding your magic merry go round for all eternity. Or you could walk away."

One of them lunges for her. She stabs him. I forget we're in vision land and step forward to grab the other guy and go right through him. She stabs through my shoulder and I hear him fall. She goes through me too. I turn around.

She's kneeling over him. The knife's in his right shoulder; not a killing blow but pretty incapacitating. He looks up at her with sad eyes. "I'm sorry, sister," he says. Then he sticks his left hand in his pocket and everything goes white.

He had a bomb in his pocket.

I blink and it's dark. They aren't here. Well, now that I know about the bomb I can see that there are bits of them everywhere. Huh. That was fun.

Another woman shows up. This place is really teaming with people for a dead cave on an uninhabited ice planet. "Riddick," she says, like she knows me.

I do know her. She's the one who fucked with my eyes. Has a tendency to show up and lecture. "You hang out in caves just waiting for me or something?" I snap.

She shakes her head. "I am here to show you what happened in this place. And tell you what you must do."

"Good for you," I say. "Now fuck off."

She shakes her head. "You must do what they could not."

"Fuck. Off."

"You would waste your mother's sacrifice?" She raises her hand and suddenly I'm having another vision. An asshole in a black uniform standing over a woman giving birth. I know what this is. She's made me see it before. I could hate her for that.

I close my eyes. It doesn't help this time either.

"She died for you," annoying-girl says. "Saving you for your destiny. To kill the man who killed your mother."

"Yeah, and who the fuck set that up?"

She ignores what I'm saying. Like she always does. "Cut the cord. Kill them all. They will tempt you with all you ever wanted. Do not be deterred. Or your mother died for nothing."

I nod. I watch this man in black and silver helps the woman deliver a child. He wraps the umbilical cord around the kid's neck and chokes him. If I hadn't seen it before, it'd freak me out.

The woman pulls a knife and stabs the guy. Not hard enough, but hey, I hear childbirth wears on a woman. He drops the kid, grabs the knife, kills the woman, and stumbles away.

Cave lady smiles superciliously. "See?" she says. Like she's just proved something.

"Fuck off," I say again. "If I coulda stopped him, I woulda, but it's ancient history now."

"Older than you know," she says. "It is your destiny to stop him. That is why he killed you."

"So if he didn't off my mom I'd have no reason to do it? You know that's nuts, right?"

She sighs and hands me something. My fingers close on nothing. Well, that was nice. "The apostates made more of these. Find another. Use it to avenge us. Whatever the cost." I snort. She disappears. It's all dark again.

I turn and turn again. And I see it. The knife in the vision. Well, parts of it, arrayed in a semi circle near the wall. That blast got the job done. I pick up the pieces. They're heavy.

I turn them over in my hands. Nara would probably know more about this than me.

Whatever the cost.

My skin crawls. I shove the pieces into a pocket. Hear something. Turn again.


	19. Cost Plus Contracts

**Chapter 19: Cost Plus Contracts**

"Your nine o'clock is here," Clara announced. "I put them in the conference room."

"Thank you." Jack smiled at the younger woman. She picked up her tablet, squared her shoulders, and let Clara usher her in. Two women in dark suits stood. One offered her hand. Jack took it.

"Thank you for meeting us. I'm Gao Williams," the woman said, bowing slightly. "And this is my assistant, Shasu."

"Pleased," she said. Gestured them to sit. Clara poured them cups of tea, stood back attentively. "I'm sorry none of the partners could meet with you today. Just bad timing. They're at a conference."

"No apologies, Ms. al-Walid. It's your . . . talents we seek to secure. May we speak with you privately?"

Jack frowned slightly. "Ms. Williams, Clara is my intern. If you hire us, she'll be involved."

The woman's voice was apologetic. "Please, call me Gao. Unfortunately, my employers are very concerned about the security implications."

"It's all right, Jack," Clara said, softly. _Was I ever that accommodating? _Jack thought. "I have plenty of work to do." She let herself out gracefully.

When the door clicked shut, Gao pulled out a tablet computer, logged on. "I need you to promise me you will not release any information about this project without our prior approval."

_Client/engineer confidentiality? _"Of course."

The woman pushed the tablet across the table. "Do you recognize this?"

_What a weird way to put that. _She examined the schematics carefully, tracing lines through, trying to grasp it. "I haven't seen it before," she said. "Looks like a power/information grid for an underground installation. Distributed power sources. . ." She paused. "It's been damaged."

"Severely," Gao said, her voice neutral.

"Hm." She enlarged a section. "Looks like parts are just missing."

"Yes."

She enlarged the section again. "Military installation?"

The two women exchanged a look. Finally, Gao said, "We think so."

"It doesn't look Helian."

"Can you repair it?"

"The grid itself? Probably. With enough time and equipment." She pulled back to a full display. "Depending on what wrecked it. If it was a nanite bomb, they could still be there . . ." She zoomed in on another section. "I don't see the brain. Are you still excavating?"

"Excuse me?"

"The nerve center. The nodes. There's a ton of data lines here, but they don't have any sort of clear nexus point . . ." she drifted off. "I suppose the brain might be highly distributed too . . ." She hit a few more buttons. "What's right here?" She indicated a place that seemed to be right to her.

Gao and Shansu exchanged looks. Gao took the machine back, unlocked a few more menus, then opened an image of a room. "We think it might be a conference room."

Jack played the image around. It was a small, claustrophobic space with six stations arranged in a circle. "Chairs would rotate?"

Gao leaned over, unlocked a few more menus. "Looks like. Yes . . ."

"So people could face the equipment or each other." She pulled back to look at the schematics again. "My god, if I'm reading that right, each of those lines could carry a ton of data." There was something terribly familiar about the whole thing; like something she'd seen before she knew enough to understand it. "This looks like infrastructure feedback," she showed them with a finger. "This might be . . . telemetry? Looks like it should be getting data from satellites. Are there satellites?" She didn't wait for them to answer. "My god, these lines just keep going down. Was the installation drawing on thermal energy?"

Gao smiled at her. There was an edge to it. "Yes. Have you seen this before?"

"Maybe. Can't think of when. Was there a back up nuclear pile?"

"Yes."

"Anything here about the type of interface?"

There was a moment of silence. Finally, Gao said, slowly. "No. That is another thing we would like your assistance with. Does anything come to mind?"

It came out of her mouth before she thought it through. "Neural interface."

"Why do you think that?"

_Why do I think that? _"Just a . . . thought. How old is this?"

The pause went on a moment too long. Finally, "We think this installation was built about a hundred years ago."

"By who?"

"That's classified, I'm afraid."

"Classified." She chewed that over. "Are you working with the military on this project?"

Gao stared at her, steadily. "I'm not authorized to say, mum."

Jack reluctantly put the tablet down. "How can we help you, Ms. Williams?"

"Balor Corporation would like to hire you to repair this system."

_That could be fun, _she thought, trying not to grin. "I'll need some more information to put together a bid," she said gravely.

"Cost plus," Gao replied. "Whatever it takes. When can you leave?"

The desire to grin fled. "Leave?"

"It needs to be an onsite project."

"Ah. No. I'm sorry. I have obligations here."

"Your dogs?" Jack felt her eyes sharpen. "Ms. al-Walid, let me be frank. You're the person we want for this job. You have _exactly,_" Gao stressed the word, "the right back ground for this project. We will pay what it takes to acquire you - your talents."

Jack shook her head. "I'm sorry, Ms. Williams, I have obligations here. And I can name a dozen engineers more qualified than me to fix archaic systems."

"I assure you, you are the best qualified for this particular project. We will pay to put your pets in cryo."

Jack frowned. "That seems wrong. Having them put their lives on hold until I have time for them."

The woman's eyes were steady, but there was something implacable in them. "Ms. al-Walid, I cannot tell you more until the mission is underway, but I can assure you – this is an important project. And you are the right person for it."

Jack forced herself to smile. "Thank you. I'm flattered. Let me think about it." She pushed the tablet back at Gao.

Gao did not take it. "We have paid for a day of your time," she said, her voice formal. "Please do what you can today. We'll send a courier for this tomorrow morning. Please let us know what you are willing – available - to do."

"I will," Jack replied, feeling a strange sense of loss.

Something like regret flashed over the woman's face. "Thank you. And thank you for the tea." The two women stood. Belatedly, Jack stood, saw them out. Went back to her office. Wrote up a quick report on the meeting for the managing partner, informing him she was not inclined to take the assignment, and lost herself in the schematics for hours.

Finally, she called Yunas. "Hey."

"Hey." He blinked at her. "What's up?"

"I need a favor."

"Name it."

"Ever hear of Balor?"

"Of course."

"What are they, really?"

"It's a lot of things. Mostly military contractors. It also does private security. Some shipping and food service. Do you want to know anything specific?"

"I can't go into details, but they want to hire me for an off world project. I have a bad feeling about it."

"Go with those feelings," he said instantly. "Look, most of the company's fine. But there are parts, especially the offworld military contractor parts that they do things that Helios won't do. Officially. Things my mother takes a keen interest in. I wouldn't take a job with them without knowing exactly what it was."

"Ah." She rubbed her face. "Awesome. Another reason to turn down this job." She paused. "How's married life?"

"Good." He smiled at her. "It's good. Asherah is a wonderful woman. I am a very lucky man."

"She seems like it." There was an awkward pause. "Look. I'm probably just being all melodramatic because they want me to go off world on some big project, but I'm . . . I just wanted to say, I'm really glad we're still friends."

"Me too, Jack," he said, softly. "You're a good person."

She laughed. "Sometimes."

He rolled his eyes at her. "Jack. It's okay. I figured it out years ago."

"What?"

"Why you broke it off with me. And it's okay. I get it. I think you're nuts, by the way. But it's okay. I will always love you. But I've accepted your decision. Done the healthy thing." He waggled his eyebrows at her meaningfully. "Moved on."

"Ah." She looked away.

"Oh, Jack, I'm sorry." He sounded so sad she looked at him hard. "I accept. I just . . . hate seeing you alone and afraid."

She shook her head, made her voice light. "I'm not."

"Oh Jack. I was your best friend for seven years. As far as I know, you have no better friends now. You're afraid to go off world because you're afraid someone is going to snatch you into the dark again. You're afraid to get close to anyone because you're afraid someone is going to hurt them to get to you. Or . . ." He stopped, smiled gently. "You called me because my mother and I are the only humans in this world you can imagine talking to about this."

"Shit." She stared at his image in the view screen. "I'm close to a lot of people," she said, finally, defiantly. He looked at her with those lovely dark eyes. She closed her own. "Shit. Okay. Let's say you're right. I really didn't call you for a therapy session. You must think I'm some kind of drama queen."

"No, Jack," he said. He seemed to be quoting. "The histrionic and narcissistic try to involve others in their delusions. This is the first time you've admitted even to me you're afraid to go off world. Even though I've known that forever." He smiled his beautiful smile at her, and it made her heart hurt. "Look. Have dinner with me and Asherah one of these days. Our house. Friday."

She nodded, slowly. "I'd like that." She swallowed. "I got another favor to ask."

"Name it."

"If anything happens to me, will you take care of my dogs?"

"Absolutely." His eyes were steady. "We would move heaven and earth to get you back again."

_Don't feed my grandiosity_, she thought. "Thank you," she said.

She signed off and stared at the dark screen for several seconds. Then she pulled out the Balor tablet.

* * *

I stand, silent, listening. It's pitch black and nearly silent. I can hear Dhalgren breathing, slow as sleep. Fucker's really taking a nap. But sounds of Nara elude me. I head up the corridor, stepping carefully over the bodies.

Shirah's got me spooked. Hits me that I really thought she was gonna bring up Jack. How the hell does she not know about Jack? She knows every other fucking thing about me.

Everything except what makes me tick. Huh. I feel myself grimace. Do I want her to know that? Christ, what's wrong with me? Do I want this woman to lead me around by the balls? Guess it would give me something to do. I snort at myself.

I don't want to think about what she showed me. A man killing his sister. Leaving his own niece without a mother. Unless she's one of those dead kids out there. Something tells me she's not.

I stare down at the mummies in uniform. Necromongers, I'm guessing. Came willing to kill, but they didn't just kill. They wanted something. Dear brother wanted his sister to come back with him. When she wouldn't, he pulled the trigger. Did he bring these guys along for the family adventure, or was there more going on?

I pass my hand over my head. Jesus. Necromongers. They're like the boogie man. I'm not afraid of the boogie-man. Think of myself, standing over Jack all snug in her bed, fighting the temptation to take her into the dark. I am the boogie-man.

Dhalgren's snoring. Nara's deep into a wall of a side tunnel, dismantling some machinery. I watch her for a long time, my thoughts swirling darkly. She's here. She says she's here fighting Necros. Fighting the boogie-man. So why she's with a merc?

I come very close to her. Don't touch. "Hey, doctor," I breathe into her ear.

She jumps, hand gripping the screwdriver tight. "What?"

"Shhhh. Baby's sleeping."

She lowers her voice. "Can I help you, Mr. Richards?"

"I found some things. Mummified dead guys in uniform. Think they're your boogiemen."

She blinks several times. "You mean Necromongers?"

"Yeah." I let my voice drop. "Among others."

"Show me."

I nod. Make an elaborate gesture ushering her back to the main hallway. She hesitates when we get to Dhalgren, but doesn't wake him up. Interesting.

She grimaces at the bodies, but follows me to the Necros. Drops to her knees by them with a small noise. "Oh my god. You were right. Oh my god. The Necros came here." She gets busy with her equipment, taking readings or whatever the geeks are doing these days.

I pace around. Finally, make a decision. "Check this out." Usher her to the blast door. "Bet there's something behind here."

"Yeah." She starts trying to figure out how to open it. I sigh, reach down, and lift the door. It goes easier this time. She gives me a look, then forges on, playing her light around the room. I can hear her heartbeat accelerate.

"Figure the bomb went off about here," I say, indicating where dear dead brother pulled the trigger. "Looks like there were three people."

"Could be," she says. "They came here to destroy something."

"Why not just do it from space?" I say, reasonably. "Lotta dirt, but when I was a soldier, we had things that could rip this place apart, no problem."

She gives me a quick look. "Hm. So, soldier boy, why would you have come down here?"

"Because I wanted something. Or . . ." I let my voice drift away, "someone. Someone who didn't wanna come with them. Someone they couldn't pull out. So they pulled this place down around them."

She nods. "Makes sense." She gives me a quick, puzzled look, then goes to a wall, starts playing the light over it. Like she's looking for something.

It's boring. "Need anything?"

"Yeah. Could you go get Dhalgren up? I want to take some of this stuff back to the ship, come back with some heavy duty scanners."

"Sure," I say. Like I'm a helpful sort. Almost forget to grab a torch as I head up the long walk back to sleeping beauty.

The fucker doesn't even flinch as I come up to him. Hits me that it'd be fuckin' easy to end this guy right now. He's hired muscle today, but that's gonna be over soon. He's a merc. Just like Johns. Shoulda killed him much faster; if I had –

If I had, I couldn't have saved Jack from him. Whole history of my 'verse woulda been different.

And Caroline might have made it.

I stare down at him.

Probably have to do the woman too. She's too smart to buy the monster-in-the-dark did it story.

I sigh, nudge him with a foot. "Hey."

He jerks up, bashing his head against the back wall. "Jesus. What?"

"The doctor will see you now."

"Smart ass," he grumbles, but he gets up and follows me. "Fuck, it's dark down here," he tells me.

You get used to it, I don't say. I just grunt. He's sorta fascinating to listen to. Man's not squeamish about stepping on the bones.

Seems a long time before we find the doctor. She gives me a cheery smile that's pretty funny under the circumstances. "There you are," she says brightly. "Mr. Richards, do you have time to give us a hand?"

"Sure," I say, bemused. She loads me up with equipment. Dhalgren she makes carry one of the dead necros. Not so heavy but he complains a lot. She doesn't spare herself, I'll give her that; she's carrying as much weight as he is. We stumble back to their ship. It's pretty swank, though tiny. She's all business, telling us where to unload shit. The dead guy goes into status.

"Wanna drink?" Dhalgren asks me.

Drink with a merc. Huh. I'm gonna say no, but he pulls out a bottle of whisky and three plastic tumblers and suddenly it doesn't seem like the sort of thing I should say no to.

Nara raises her glass. "To life," she says like she means it. Dhalgren rolls his eyes and downs a shot and a half. Me and Nara take a sip.

Dhalgren splashes something big into his glass and raises it up. "To dead brothers," he says, low and meaningful. Nara nods all respectful like and takes another sip. I follow along.

They're looking at me. Guess it's my turn. Fun. I look at the golden fluid. Raise up the glass. "To warm beds," I say.

Something goes beep. Nara puts down her glass and goes to a console. Hits a couple of buttons. Dhalgren wanders over, reads over her shoulder.

"Girl genius thinks it's a neural interface? What the fuck's that?"

Nara sighs in a way that makes me think I wasn't supposed to hear that. "She could be right."

"What is it?"

"Risky stuff. Direct brain-to-computer connection." She rubbed her eyes. "She thought maybe an optical connection. Jesus."

"You think she's right?"

"Worth checking out."

His voice drops low and suggestive. "She volunteer?"

Nara sighs. "Add that to the things Aereon doesn't tell me." She gives him a sideways look. "We should head back. See if we can find anything that looks like a neural interface, you know, lying around. I sure don't remember anything like that lying around on Colchis."

* * *

It seemed like no time had passed before Jack's console beeped. _Minister Abu al-Walid _it informed her in glowing text. She stared at the name. _Jesus. I should have left an hour ago, _she thought. The console continued to beep patiently. Finally, she accepted the call. "Hello?"

"Daughter," Abu said, formally, heavily. "Have dinner with me."


	20. Out of the Closet

**Chapter 20: Out of the Closet **

_Dinner with the minister. Just how I wanna spend an evening. _"Sure. Let me pull up my calendar."

"Now. I'm sending a car."

"Abu, I don't want to be late getting home." She fought to keep the irritation out of her voice. "I have a lot of work to do."

"Tonight, daughter. I'm sending these men." He flashed an image of two men in counsel security uniforms. For the third time that day, her skin prickled. "They will be there soon." He smiled, but there was something sad in his face. "My treat." The message flashed off, leaving her to glare at the screen.

"Well, this day just keeps getting better," she muttered to herself. She stood and stretched. Clara knocked on her door cautiously. "Jack. There are men here for you."

_They must have gotten to the building before Abu called. Damn him. _She grabbed a handful of granola bars, slipped it into her bag. After a moment, she added the Balor tablet, feeling slightly guilty. She stared at herself in the mirror for a moment, wishing she had not worn the dress Lajjun had given her.

Council security was, as usual for the men Abu sent to fetch her, professional, courteous, drop dead gorgeous. Their air car was on the roof. A presumptuous place to park. They handed her into the back, and, somewhat to her irritation, one of the men sat with her.

"Where are we meeting Abu?" she asked inanely.

He gave her a grave look. "Minister Abu is at a meeting," he informed her solemnly. "He asked us to bring you to him."

_That wasn't really an answer, _she thought. "Are we picking up anything to eat?"

"No, mum. Staff will provide."

"Huh. Do you know what his meeting is about?"

"Can't say, mum."

She stared down at the gleaming city beneath them.

* * *

They landed at a nondescript building in the embassy district. The parking lot was deep under the building. They escorted her to an elevator with biometric controls that only went to one floor; a rooftop garden. They walked her to a table set for three, then disappeared into the trees.

She pulled out her handheld. No signal. _Great. _ She walked the opposite direction of the guards until she found the edge of the building. Put her hands on the force field and pushed against it slowly until the field held her immobile, tilted about 30 degrees over the street. She relaxed, letting herself hang over the street twenty two stories below.

She could hear the elevator coming up behind her. The doors swished open. "Daughter," Abu called. Jack stayed motionless for a self indulgent moment. "Jack?" he repeated, sounding anxious.

_Don't be childish, _she scolded herself. "Just enjoying the view," she called, pulling back from the abyss. Abu's aging face was tight, but he smiled at her with so much relief that it clutched at her heart. He was half a step behind a woman wearing white and an imperious expression, and half a step in front of three waiters. Or something. Jack nodded to the woman. "Ma'am."

The woman smiled. It did not completely reach her eyes. "Ms." a decidedly detectable hesitation. "al-Walid. I am Aereon. Thank you for coming. Please sit." Jack let herself be handed into a seat by an impeccably dressed waiter. Food appeared. Jack let them serve her, feeling disconnected from the scene. The waiters disappeared into the undergrowth.

"What's the occasion?" she asked, as brightly as she could. "Unfortunately I can't stay long. I need to feed the dogs."

Abu nodded, gravely. "This is . . . difficult," he said, dabbing his lip with a napkin. He gave Aereon a quick look. She was coolness itself. "There are things I have kept from you. Decisions I have made because they were the best of bad options."

_Well, that's heavy. Also obvious. _"Don't roll your eyes at me, Jack," Abu said, sharply. "You are a professional engineer. You should have outgrown that by now."

Jack shrugged. "Sorry," she said, without repentance. "Sore point." Her eyes drifted into the undergrowth.

"How often do I have to apologize for that, Jack? I did what I was thought was right." Jack didn't look at him. He noticed. "You need to listen to me. Ten years ago, I made a deal for our – for _your_ safety."

Her eyes went to Aereon sitting coolly sipping her tea. "Is this really the place to discuss this?"

"Yes. It is." Abu said, heavily, his eyes slipping to Aereon. The older woman shrugged, modestly. Jack wanted to hit her. "It didn't matter. The Ele—no one ever found Riddick."

"Guess you win, then," Jack shot back.

"You need to take this seriously, Jack. I made a deal for your safety. Part of that deal was that they would leave you alone if there was any other way."

"They who? Way to what? Catch and stuff Riddick?"

"No. To save us from the Necromongers."

She wasn't expecting that. "Well, that's grandiose."

"The Necromongers destroyed your mother's people. A fact you concealed from me."

Jack felt her face grow hot. "Maybe because I didn't trust you?"

He rocked back. Aereon cut in smoothly. "We have reason to believe that someone like Riddick will defeat the Necromongers. When they turned away from New Mecca eight years ago, we hoped, perhaps, somehow, he had. But they are coming back. And you have a part to play in what is coming."

Jack rolled her eyes.

Aereon continued unperturbed. "You met with two women this morning. They offered you a job. You turned them down. That is why you are here."

A trickle of fear iced down Jack's spine. "I didn't turn them down. I hadn't decided."

Aereon shook her head. "Please, child. You had decided to decline."

_They had my communicator tapped. Oh god, Yunas. _"There are a dozen people better qualified than me I can name off the top of my head."

"None of them are what you are."

"What?"

"Colchis."

"Half-Colchis. Why does that matter?"

"We believe the system has a rudimentary artificial intelligence, programmed not to respond to non-Colchis."

"There weren't any AIs a hundred years ago."

"The Colchis had them," Aereon said, mildly. "Your mother's people were extraordinary. And now extraordinary times are upon us."

"You know using the word 'extraordinary' twice doesn't make it my problem." Aereon quirked an eyebrow at her. "Anyway, even if I wanted to, not now. Balder's dying. I can't – I can't let him die alone."

"I protected you from this as long as I could," Abu said heavily. "I wish there was time. But there is not."

Jack shook her head. "I don't trust you. You had your reasons, and maybe they were good ones. But you handed me over to bad guys once." He swallowed, looked away. "You handed me over to armed men to use as bait for a sociopath while I begged you not to. Now you're asking me to put my life on hold and go off on some grandiose mission. You know what I think? I think they're feeding you a line of bull. That this is really about Riddick and his million-credit bounty. I'm not going at least until I'm sure that's not it."

Abu looked wretched. "Jack. Please. You need to go now, and it would be better for you to go willingly."

"What?"

"Or you'll go unwillingly," Aereon said, drinking her tea.

It was like a kick in the stomach. "You can't make me work for you."

"Perhaps not. We have better chances of success with your willing participation. But even your unwilling participation improves the odds."

Abu shook his head. "Emissary, please."

Aereon shook her head, hit some controls recessed on a table. "This is the capitol of the Coalsack worlds. The last worlds the Necromongers destroyed." Images of devastation from city after city flashed through the air. Buildings crushed and children dead. Aereon continued to sip her tea. "No mercy. No parlay. Your mother's people fought them to a standstill once. We need to know how."

"You think I could stop this?" Jack heard her own voice seeming to come from a long way away. "That doesn't make sense."

"The right force at the right place. . ." Aereon poured more tea for Abu and Jack. "I know this. The Necromongers thought the Colchis were a threat. Enough so that they did something they never do. They turned away from a world."

"Because they were there?"

"No, child. Because the world gave them up. Mercer rounded up every Colchis refugee and gave them to the Necromongers. Everyone but you." Jack closed her eyes. "Somehow, you escaped, and got onto a ship with the only other man we have reason to think could stop the Necromongers."

"That's crazy talk."

"Yes. Such is the times. Do you think you are the first person to refuse the call? You will be taken to Colchis. We have done what we can to repair the systems. You will help us learn all we can from them."

"Okay, I'll grant that's slightly less nuts than the Riddick plan, but I still don't get why you think I'm going to cooperate. Or why it just happens that you need an engineer."

Aereon smiled blandly. "We knew we would need an engineer long enough ago to insure that you had the opportunity to become one."

"What?"

"Who do you think made sure you got the best teachers, got offered the best scholarships? You will cooperate. I would prefer it be voluntary. It does not have to be."

"Emissary, I can't allow-" Abu started. Aereon gave him an amused look, and he subsided.

The woman continued, her voice gentle but implacable. "You will assist, willingly or not, with finding the secrets of the installation. Then you will assist, willingly or not, with another attempt to find Riddick. If you assist willingly, and you succeed, then when this is over, you can come home to your job and your dogs and life as a hero. If you do not assist willingly," Aereon dabbed her lip, delicately. "I shall arrange for control chip to be implanted in your brain. You will assist us." Abu made a strangled noise. No one looked at him. "Once we have wrung what we can from the installation, I shall arrange for a mercenary crew to collect the killer of Antonia Chillingsworth, known associate of Richard B. Riddick. Justice will delay long enough for that crew to make another assay on that notorious criminal. If he agrees to help us, and succeeds, I will make him a rich man and arrange for him to be pardoned your crimes. You too, if he so desires. Or, to be blunt, to make any disposition for you he desires. If not . . ." she shrugged, with seeming sadness. "The killer of Antonia Chillingsworth will not find the galaxy a kind place."

It was too much. She focused on the smallest part. "Chillingsworth." She glared at Abu, "How the fuck do they know about Chillingsworth?"

He shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry, Jack."

"She was going to kill us." He looked down. "God damn you," she whispered. "You can't just hand me over to this woman. I am a citizen of a civilization."

"That can be revoked," Aereon said. "I understand you did not make a full disclosure on your citizenship application.

She glared at Abu. He looked stricken. He looked impotent. _He looked guilty. _"You signed off on this."

"Not-" he stopped himself. "I did what was best, daughter."

"I'm not your daughter. You wouldn't do this to Ziza."

That hit. He rocked back. "Jack, she's eleven years old."

"How old do you think I was the first time someone threw me to the wolves?" She shoved back from the table, stood. Security materialized out of the trees. She had almost forgotten they were there. Jack swallowed, and turned back to Abu. She hated the pleading note in her voice. "You wouldn't do this to Ziza. Hell, you wouldn't do it to a stranger. Jesus. I haven't seen Riddick since I was a kid; you think he's gonna do if I show up with a bunch of mercs? Best case scenario-" her voice choked off. She took a deep breath.

"Either he's still attached to me, and then he's gonna gut you for this, or he's not attached and he'll just kill us all and walk away. Best case scenario, he keeps me as a – a –pet, if I'm really lucky. Unless he's changed a whole lot in thirteen years, he's not gonna just take some vague job because you say it's the right thing to do."

Abu looked down for a long moment. He fished something out of his pocket, laid it in front of her. "When you see him, give him this."

It was some sort of message chip. She stared down at it. She did not take it.

"It's a message, keyed to his DNA," Abu said gently. "It will explain everything he needs to know." Aereon made a soft, exasperated noise.

"This is nuts," Jack whispered. "He'll kill you. If he even remembers me."

"If he stops what's coming, he can do anything he wants to me, daughter." Abu's voice was soft and regretful. Their eyes met. His were full of tears. "And to you."


	21. Back Across the Universe

**Chapter 21: Across the Universe**

"Can't you just build a neural interface?" I say, surprising myself. 'cause really, why do I care if this chick wants to play Hero Support Staff?

"I'm an archeologist, not a brain surgeon." Nara rubs her eyes. She looks so fuckin' vulnerable I feel something in me perk up. Interesting. "The system seems to know when we try to substitute to much of our own stuff. That's part of why we're here. Trying to fill in some gaps with what these guys left behind."

Dhalgren pours another splash of whiskey in my glass, gets up and starts rummaging around. I force myself not to look at him. Take a small sip, feel it all warm in my belly. Christ, how long was it since I drank with Jack? "What are we looking for?"

She gives me a strange look. Dhalgren comes back and dumps a load of stuff on the small table. Gives me a little nod like he wants me to like his cooking. And I do. Crackers, cheese, something that looks like meat paste, and dried fruit. I reach for an apple ring. "Nom nom nom," I say.

He rolls his eyes. But he looks happy. Whacky.

"I don't know," Nara says, seeming to be from a long way away. "I'm guessing some sort of glasses, and maybe gauntlets. There are actual hard wire interfaces, but that seems . . . unlikely."

"Hard wire interfaces?"

"Plugged into the brain."

"Hard core."

She flushes hot. Like that means something to her. Dhalgren gives me a look that all but screams back off. Whatever. Just making conversation.

Try the cheese. Chew it meditatively, letting my mind drift. Oh, shit. Interfaces. Like control chips. I killed a whole lotta guys with control chips in their heads, once upon a time. Back when I thought I was on the right team.

Take a cracker. Feel my teeth crunch through it.

No. She ain't talking about that. She's talkin' interfaces. I rub the back of my neck. All the hair feels fuckin' weird.

Her eyes go to my neck in a way I don't really like. I feel my lips pull back against my teeth. She looks away fast. Jesus. I really don't play well with others, do I? I look down at the food.

Nara sighs. "Yeah. Hard core. Brain surgery type. They had medical clinics, but they didn't seem set up for that." She gets up from the console, collapses back at the table. Dahlgren shoves some of the food towards her. She stares at it. "Lenses. Shiva's tears, they could have had ocular implants and gloves. Or contacts."

"Needles in the eyeballs? Nummy," Dhalgren says. The doc and I both look at him. I give him a grin, right up until I think about my own eyes. I look away.

"Right." Nara seems back in control again. "Mr. Richards, do you need to get out of here, or do you have time to help us a little longer?"

I look at her, considering. It'd be easy to say yes and be on my merry. Finally, I shrug. "I can hang a while."

She smiles at me, and I like it. Wacky. "Sun's setting in a few hours. I think we should be snug in our ships when that happens; there are more things that hunt at night. We've got time for another swing through the tunnels if we hurry. Are you up for it?"

Lady, I'm always up for it. It weirds me out that they want me to stay. But I got nothin' better to do. "Happy to help," I say in my non-me voice. "Gotta be a reason we're both here."

I get another smile. Dhalgren snorts, crams cheese into his big mouth, and starts gearing up. Gives me a stern look. Talks around the cheese. "This time, you carry the bodies."

* * *

Balder was digging in the beach, frantically. Jack, laughing, was trying to protect the picnic from the explosion of sand. Radne was exasperated. "Can't you control your dog?"

Balder popped up with something crab-like in his mouth, its pincer's flailing. "Me? I've never really tried," Jack said. Balder dropped the creature and it scuttled towards the sea, Balder following just far enough not to catch it. Jack watched him go and for an instant, she missed him so much she almost called him back.

"Can you cut the cheese?" Radne asked. Jack snorted.

"You said 'cut the cheese,'" she said.

"What are you, twelve?" her sister shot back.

"I can't remember any more." Jack took the cutting board and knife from her sister. "Why are we doing this?"

"'cause the boys went to play with sea monsters again." Radne looked at the ocean. Jack followed her gaze. Riddick was standing in the water, dripping and glorious. Dion was sneaking up behind him. Jack shook her head.

"Why aren't we out there with them?"

"Well, I am," Radne said, lightly. She pulled an enormous loaf of bread from the picnic basket, laid it down on a heavy wooden cutting board, and produced a wicked looking knife from somewhere in her clothing. Began cutting the bread into neat, thin slices. "So to speak. But I was never sure about what to do you."

Dion leapt onto Riddick's back with a roar, sending them both under the waves. Radne laughed delightedly. Jack watched uneasily. When neither of them rose from the waves, she stood and took a step towards the water.

"Really, would it be that bad if we didn't see both them again?" Radne asked, lightly. Jack looked back at her. She was putting together neat sandwiches. "They are rather monstrous. And I could use your help."

Jack took a step away. Then another. They still were not emerging. Then she was pounding down the beach into the waves, the water was rising around her, Balder dolphining through the waves next to her. Then she was swimming, looking, desperately, for anything that looked human.

She saw something that looked like a body. She dove down, grabbed something warm and pulled.

Something pulled back.

The waters closed over her head.

* * *

We go back to the tunnels and Nara finds all sorts of things she wants. Fortunately, she's got a float sled, 'cause it's way more than I'm gonna carry. It's too big to go underground, so we gotta carry stuff up to it, and carry we do. Dunno why they don't just bring the ship closer. We get it loaded about the time the sun sets.

Temperature's droppin' fast. We're headin' back to their ship when the hair on the back of my neck lets me know that something's pacing us. My ears and nose tell me it's more than one thing. Wolf pack type things. I look at Dhalgren. He's clueless, pacin' next to the platform, ears peeled for something Yeti sized. Totally missin' that some predators are short.

Look at Nara. She's got her head down, makin' sure nothin' falls off. Whatever her skill set, noticing things that hunt in packs ain't it. Hits me that if the pack attacks, and one or both of 'em die, especially if it's the merc, that does simplify my life. Am I that kind of guy? To let a man who gave me whiskey die?

Yeah. I probably am. But it galls, to think of the chick dead.

I'm still turning this over in my head when Nara stops the sled. "What," Dhalgren says, entirely too loud.

"She's noticed the wolf pack," I say, softly.

"Jesus," she says. "You gonna tell us about that?"

"Not if it wasn't gonna be a problem. Aren't you guys the do-gooders?" I say, my voice more mocking than I meant. "First, do not harm? Figure if they were gonna leave us alone, we should leave them alone."

She gives me a look, fumbles with her coat. I think she's goin' for a gun, but she comes out with a scanner. She plays with it, fingers trembling. "I count 12, maybe 15."

"More than we can handle if they attack," I say, softly. "Even with brother D's big gun."

Dhalgren's backed against the sled. "Says you."

"He's right," Nara says, her voice way calmer than her fingers. "We shouldn't provoke an attack. Maybe they're just curious."

I can hear them circling, getting between us and where we're goin'. "Think they've made a decision. Leave the sled. We'll come back for it tomorrow," I say, surprising myself. "My ship's real close."

"I like my own bed," Dhalgren grumbles.

"I like not fighting off packs," I say, easily. "Done it before. Not without losin' someone. Have you?"

"Asshole," he mutters. "Where's your ship?"

"Just over there," I gesture. "No wolfies between us and there." Yet. "Come on."

I don't know why I do it, but I put a hand on Nara's back. She shakes her head. "We're safer with the sled. It makes us look big."

I don't like it, but she has a point. "Fine. Take it to my ship. Come on." She fumbles with the controls. It starts to move in the right direction. The pack watches. It's hard to hear over the sled, but I think they're beginning to reorient.

I have a bad moment when I get to Borson's ship, and it seems to think about whether to let us in. Grudgingly, it lowers the cargo hatch. As Nara's shifting the sled up, three of the wolves step into view, just at the edge of the lights. I make eye contact with the leader, and there's a minute where it fucking hurts; I want what he's got so bad.

Dhalgren's pointing the gun where I'm looking. "Don't," I say, softly.

"Just goin' scare 'em."

"Don't start wars you can't finish," I say. "You pull that trigger, I ain't backing you up."

"What, you don't stand with your own against monsters?" He says, mockingly, but also weirdly bitter. I hit the controls to close up.

"Shut up, Dhal," Nara says. "They're just hungry. We're the monsters here."

I give her a look, then start thinking about where I'm gonna put these folks. This really ain't a passenger vessel. One small cabin with one nice bed. Probably some pull down cots somewhere I should already know about. To buy time, I head for the meat locker. Pull out a shank of ice giant. "Je-sus," Dhal says."

"Yeah," I smirk at him. "I went hunting." It's fifty pounds of almost frozen goodness. I open a small hatch and hurl it in the general direction of the pack. "Payin' our way," I say. I watch the leaders sniff the meat thoughtfully, look at me, then sniff again. One takes a bite. Then another. Makes me feel all warm. I close the hatch.

"What was that?"

"Dunno. Computer said I can eat it. Got the skin somewhere."

Nara breaks in. "I'm beat. Got some place I can curl up and pass out?"

"You can have my bed," I say. "I'll find a cot for Dhal somewhere."

"Room for two in the bed?" Dhal says. I look at Nara, who flushes.

"If the lady wants there to be," I say. "Come on."

* * *

Somehow, I get it sorted out. So fuckin' domestic. Nara's in my bed, which works for me. She'll make it smell better. Dhal's in a cot in the room, which works for her. I'm on the bridge, with the pilot chair reclined and an ice giant pelt over me. Jack and I slept like this in the skiff for a week, her little body under the covers, pressed against me. My little packmate.

I don't remember falling asleep, but I'm dreaming, again. Or something. Dead girl's sitting in the copilot's seat, again. "Hey, monster," she says, all mocking. "You always sleep with your boots on?"

"Better traction," I say. We're flying through an asteroid field. Or something. Maybe really big space penguins. "So what the fuck are you doin' here?"

"Oh, you know. Been a while. Thought I'd check in. How's our little girl? You fuck her yet?"

"A million times," I say. "It's how I say hello."

"Liar," she smirks. She's drinkin' hot chocolate. With a shot of peppermint schnapps, just to piss me off. I close my eyes, and it fills my nose. "Look, I'm dead, so I don't care. But something's coming." She takes a big slurp.

"End of the season sale at Sears?"

"Ha. Ha. Ha. See how I'm laughing? Something's coming. Something bad. And it's coming for her."

Yeah. Me, if I don't get control of myself. For an instant, I don't have control of myself, and I've got Jack against a wall, my hand over her mouth and my cock buried so deep I can almost feel her spine. She feels so fucking good, I don't wanna know if she doesn't like it. I really don't. But I'm a big boy. I pull back and see her, see if I'm hurting her, see if she likes it, and I'm back in the cockpit panting with want and with dead girl smirking at me.

"Down boy," she sniggers, so fucking confident I won't find a way into hell to fuck her up that it makes me grind my teeth. "Don't even have to say her name, and you're rarin' to go. What makes you think you're gonna wanna fuck her, anyway? For all you know, she might be unfuckable."

My cock's so hard it hurts. Fuck it. I unzip my pants and yank it, hard, ignoring dead girl. Until she reaches over and runs a cold finger down my dick and it goes limp. "Poor boy," she sniggers again.

"Lady, what's your beef with me anyway? I tried to do right by you. If you hadn't played along with Johns, we might all have made it."

"You're trying to turn that on me?" She actually sounds surprised. "Let's see, scary looking mass murderer in chains or cute guy whose bringing him in. Yeah, don't feel bad about my decisions there. Look. I'm on your side. I'm giving you a shot at redemption. To save the girl. To save the day. You really wanna end up a nobody? No one who spends so much fucking time looking like you really wants to disappear. And you'll end up an drunken disgrace if you don't save her from what's coming."

"Fuck you," I growl. "You think you're the only one who shows up in my head telling me to go off and do stupid things? I've got some Furyan chick tellin' me to get vengeance, and I've got some old lady tellin' me to be a hero, and I've got you, and I really don't know what the fuck you want except to mess with me."

"Poor baby," she says. Takes yet another slurp. Dead eat a lot more than I thought they would. "Look. I like you. I really do. You stepped up in the end, and I really appreciate that. But it kills me to think that I saved you so you could be a dickwad. The other two? They've got," she stares out the window, and fuck me, there really, are giant penguins out there. "They've got plans for you. I just don't want you to be a dick. Not to let the little girl die. 'cause if she dies, and you coulda stopped it? Then you really are a dick. You really shoulda died on that world."

I jerk awake, heart hammering. I can still smell the peppermint. And the console's beeping. I stare at it, blankly. Finally remember that Nara set her messages to forward. I set the seat up, and silence the alarm. Huh. A message. Exciting. No one's called me in forever.

What the hell; it's gonna take me a while to get to sleep again. I hit the play button.


	22. Crocodile Smiles

**Chapter 22: Crocodile Smiles **

Nara's ship's sent over two messages. The first's for her, and it's encrypted. I leave it be. But the second message, that one's for Dhalgren, and it's just sitting there, waiting for someone to press play. I'm a gentleman. I oblige.

It pops right up and fuck me, it's Derrick Fucking Toombs. On my computer. Grinning at me. "Hey, goat fucker," he says. Like we're friends. "It's me. Your fearless leader. We picked up your little nemesis. Nice and snug in the cryo tube." He rolls his eyes. "So. Little change of plans. Ice Bitch got her panties in a twist about getting her to the site as fast as human-fuckingly possible, so we're goin' straight. You're gonna have to pick up the doc on Polyphemus, bring him back when he's done with her. Hopin' you can beat us there so we can just do her while she's still under." He rolls his eyes again. "Plus, takin' him back will get you outta our hair for a little longer."

His voice goes all low and meaningful. "Ice bitch was real clear. We keep our hands off as long as she cooperates. She stops cooperatin,'" he waggles his eyebrows in a way that makes me wanna start pullin' out his intestines, "well, then, we gotta do what we gotta do." Looks like he's gonna start jacking off, he's so happy about that. "So, my greasy padawan, be patient. Minutes to midnight, you'll get your pound." He looks around. "Hey, Logan, you got anything to say to the Lost Boy?"

A woman pops in. Hard angles and real muscle. I could do her. "Hey, goat fucker," she says with a stern look. "Woman to woman, slobber at her all you want, but its gonna be hands off until she actually balks, okay? I think she'll play along as long as she gets to play engineer. So let her play, got it?"

She seems like she's gonna say something else, but Toombs shoves in all suddenly, schitzoidly earnest, like he just remembered something important. "Sucks about your brother," he says, and I almost feel bad, it seems so fucking honest. He seems like he's gonna say something else too, but instead he hits a key and fades to black.

Well, huh. That was full of data. Cryptic, cryptic data. I rub my head. Stare into the dark. The wolves have gone hunting. I feel like I'm with them.

* * *

Everything was spinning around her. There was a hand on the small of her back. She opened her eyes and it was Yunas, resplendent in his multicolored wedding clothes, spinning her lightly through the dance. He caught her as she came around, smiling beautifully.

_This could have been my life. _He whispered something lovingly into her ear she couldn't understand, but it sent goose bumps down her spine anyway. The music paused. He bowed deeply over her hand. Somehow, she was curtsying, watching his fingers slip away. New dark fingers took her hand. Abu. She rose up slowly.

"Didn't you send me away?" She heard herself ask. The dance continued. "Don't think we're gonna dance again."

"Oh, Jack," he said, sadly. "I'm not dancing with you." He spun her around, gently. She let him. As the room spun around, she thought she saw Riddick dancing with one of the flower girls. The crowd shifted and he was gone. She let go of Abu's hand and the dance took him away. Someone grabbed her.

"My dance, Sunshine," Toombs grinned at her toothily, dressed like a pirate. "I'll take good care of you."

"Jesus," she heard herself say. "I know you weren't on the guest list."

"Let myself in, sunshine," he said, jerking his head up to the sky. She looked up. The roof was gone and the sky was dark and full of monsters. "You know, back in the old days, they woulda staked you out. This time," he dipped her back. The crowd shifted and she saw Riddick, bending over the flower girl as if he was listening to her. "This time, you could be a hero." He pulled her back. She tried to twist away. His fingers were iron bands.

He winked at her. "Just relax. We want the same thing."

"What's that?"

"A little place in the country. A sheep and a dog and raise horses."

"Huh?"

"I kid. We both want Riddick to save you." He waggled his eyebrows at her playfully.

She tried to jerk away. His grip became hard enough to bruise. "I don't want to play the victim," she said.

He snorted. "Yeah, and I don't wanna have a hangover tomorrow. Life sucks sometimes, princess." He lifted her up above the crowd, everyone spinning around as the monsters circled overhead. She tried, impotently, to knee in him the head, but her dress constricted around her, trapping her. He laughed and set her down, hands still on her waist.

The music paused, signaling that it was time to change partners. "Your turn's over," she said, seriously.

He smiled down at her, and somehow, he was holding her hands. "You sure, darlin'?"

A dark shape rose behind him. An elbow around his neck, a quick twist, and Toombs dropped dead before her, still holding her hands, pulling her down. There was a scattering of applause. She scrambled back from the body. "Riddick?" she whispered. He danced by her, spinning Ziza around and around. He was wearing a gray suit, two sizes too big, the color of a hippopotamus hide, with a red flower behind his ear and a scythe on his back. He didn't seem to see her.

Someone stepped over the body. Dark fingers took her own. A black military cuff connected to a black military uniform with silver buttons and a silver sword. Her eyes went up to his face and her heart stopped. _Dion. _He smiled down at her, pulled her to her feet.

"Surprised to see me, little sister?" he whispered, spinning her around, harder than he needed to. She tripped over the corpse. He swung her into the air before she could fall, high enough a monster snapped at her. Then she was back on the ground.

"Aren't you dead?" she asked, feeling awkward and childish.

"Who isn't these days?" He spun her the other way. Her shoes crunched unpleasantly like she was dancing on fragile shells.

"I loved you," she heard herself say. "Even though you didn't love me."

He snorted. "Don't be so fucking grandiose." He moved a hand to the small of her back, pulling her closer. "You're my kid sister. Of course I love you." He smiled down at her, and it was not a smile she liked. "I just hated your father."

"You're an asshole, you know?" He spun her around, never giving up control. "Not my fault our mother took a chance on love in the shadow of death."

"Again with the grandiosity."

"You were mean to me. I loved you and you were mean."

"Yeah, well, you fell in love with a serial killer because he reminded you of me."

Riddick spun past her, Yunas in one hand, the flower girl in the other. "Jesus. He saved my life. He was a whole lot nicer than you ever were." Riddick leered at her for just an instant before the dance took him away.

"Softening you up. You know he's gonna eat you," Dion said, seriously.

"Like you wouldn't."

Dion laughed, delighted. "Touche," he said. "Nothing beats the taste of home."

Riddick let Yunas and the flower girl go, the three of them bowing towards an unseen center. The scythe was in his hands. The other two spun away. He turned, slowly and heavily, eyes scanning the crowd until he found her, in her brother's arms. His silver eyes met hers, shifted to her brother, then back to her. He grinned again, showing teeth like a promise. Then he spun on his heel and cut away through the dance, the crowd parting around him like water around a crocodile.

"Where's he going?" she asked, woefully.

"Where you send him," Dion answered. "Right now, I think he's gonna kill your foster father. That's what you want, isn't it? Even more than you want me and Radne to be dead?"

A monster screeched from the sky. No one seemed to hear it but her. "I don't want you dead," she said, stricken. "I don't want any of this. We've got to stop him."

Her brother laughed and let her go. "Whatever, sis," he said, indulgently. "We'll catch up later."

She ran as fast as she could where she thought he'd gone. The crowd kept buffeting her and the room went on forever. She saw a flash of scythe descending and she screamed –

- and woke up, drenched in sweat, in a pitch black space ship, trapped in a restraint harness. There was no gravity, and her bare feet were freezing. She tried to reach the harness's release, but her hands were cuffed behind her. She tried to dislocate a thumb, pull out from the cuff, but the diagnostics got there first and the darkness closed around her.


	23. See What's on the Slab

**Chapter 23: See What's On the Slab**

Wake up abruptly. Someone's moving, tryin' to be quiet. Doin' a pretty good job of it. I slip out from under the ice monster pelt.

Someone's takin' a piss. Standing. O-kay, merc boy. Not bein' quiet 'cause he's sneaking up on me, but, probably, because he doesn't wanna wake the doc. How . . . nice.

Hits me that I'm cold. Ship musta turned down the thermostat. Huh. Don't feel right tucking myself back in with the merc wandering around. Wonder how hard it'd be to turn one of these pelts into a cape? Might help with this unwashed barbarian thing I got going on too.

I snort slightly. But the image has caught my mind's eye. Nice thing about a cape, you can sleep on it or under it if you need to. Or throw it over a girl. Hm. I pull the pelt over my shoulders and yup, it's almost the right shape already. Interesting. Have to think about something quick release so I can drop it easy . . . maybe chop the other one up for a hood, maybe a vest . . .

The ship knows I'm up and it's warmer already. Put the pilot's seat upright, stretch, settle down with the pelt around my shoulder. Hear Dhalgren stumbling around. Kinda interested in what he's gonna do.

He comes to see me. I palm a shiv, 'cause you never know. He knocks, softly. Guess we're pals. I hit the door release.

"Morning, sunshine," he says. Bumbles in and sits in the co-pilot's seat. I give him a look.

"Sleep well?" I ask. Like I care.

He shrugs. "Sleep of the just. Fuckin' weird dreams, though. You?"

I feel my lips twitch. You and me both, brother. "Good. You got a call. Woke me up."

"Whoops," he says, utterly unrepentant. I hit a few controls and the message headers pop up on front of him. "Derrick fucking Toombs," he says. "My boss." He rolls his eyes.

"Bosses," I grunt.

He grins like I said something clever, hits play, and I get to listen all over again to the message. I pull up cape patterns, 'cause what do I care, really?

Message ends. I quirk an eye. "Goat fucker?"

He snorts. "Well, you do what you gotta do out at the edge." He's got a weird look on his face.

What would a normal human say? "Your boss knew your brother?" I say, finally.

"Shit," he says. "Yeah. We all worked together back in the day."

And you still work for the guy who got your brother killed. Wacky. "Gotta be hard."

He grunts. "Yeah. Well. Good work. Good money too." He's still looking weird. He clears his throat. "Did Nara get a squirt too?"

"Yeah," I say. Hit a few buttons so the big old encrypted message header pops up.

He sighs elaborately. "Shit."

Didn't you take care of that already? "Huh?"

"Just – I got a great job, you know? See the universe. Hunt down bad guys. Be a do gooder most of the time, and still getta get my rocks off at some of the most _debauched _parts of the galaxy. You ever go to Polyphemus?"

"Nope."

"You can buy anything there. Any_one_. In the lower levels. Top level's just another spaceport; as pretty and decent as you please. They've got slave brothels there that for the right price, you can cut your own holes."

"Gosh," I say. Like I don't know that's pretty much available everywhere. Hopefully not on Helios. "Your boss plannin' a party?"

He snorts. "Something like that. You got any coffee on this dump?"

"Probably," I say. "Come on."

We're fuckin' domestic, that's what we are, puttering around with breakfast. By the time Nara comes out, there's plenty of food. She looks exhausted.

"Sweet dreams?" Dhalgren asks.

"Bad dreams," she says, shortly. "That poor girl, staked out for monsters. Necromongers blotting out the suns. Aereon yelling at me."

Aereon. My skin prickles slightly. "Friend of yours?" I ask.

She sighs. "My boss. I guess." She takes a big drink of coffee. "Yeah. Something like that."

Dhalgren pats her hand. Like he cares. Or something.

Like he's _embarrassed_. I chew some ice giant fillet, thinking about that. What embarrasses a merc who parties at the lower levels?

"What's on the agenda for today?" he asks. Like he's changing the subject.

"We should see what we need to do to help Mr. Richards," she says, like she's grateful. "And get our finds out of his hold."

"Sounds good." I say. "You got a message last night." Dhalgren shoots me a dirty look.

"Oh. I should listen to it," she says. "Can you show me?"

I shrug and take her to the cockpit, pull it up for her. She gives me a pointed enough look that I back out, letting her listen in peace. 'cause what do I care, really? I lurk for a moment out side the door, but I can't hear anything. Wander back to the mess.

Dhalgren's still unhappy with me. Giving me the silent treatment. Yeah, fine, buddy. We're gonna go our separate ways soon, one way or another.

Nara comes back, and she don't look happy either. She gives Dhalgren a look I can't read. Almost like he's a friend, almost like he's a . . . complication. Huh. "Mr. Richards," she says, all formal. "Are you available for hire?"

"Huh?"

"50,000 credits," she says, like she means it. "We have been directed to return to Colchis. And to stop on the way to pick up – to pick up a medical professional. Unfortunately, my ship will not carry all the material I hope to salvage and a passenger."

I stare at her. There's a whole lot in that offer I'm not getting. "I'm not sure my ship works."

"We'll make it work," she says, firmly. "If need be, we can load it up, vacuum it out, and use it just for cargo storage. We have the finest nanobot repair techology back on Colchis. 75,000 credits, and we repair your ship?"

I blink at the jump. She really wants me. Kinda sweet. Dhalgren sucks on his teeth.

"How long?" I ask.

"My ship has warp," she says, steadily. I blink. Hella secret technology, back when I took my long nap. Hella expensive technology too, last I heard. No wonder she can afford me. "We can take yours in tandem, be back on Colchis in three days, have you on your way in five; seven at the most."

Hell of a lot of money for very little time. "You'll play straight with me?" I ask.

"My word," she says, steadily. I know she's hiding something.

"Your nightmare boss?"

"You'll be gone before she gets there," she says. "She's . . . on the right side of history. She just – tends to use people as means to an end. It shouldn't affect you."

Dhalgren snorts. "She's a stone cold bitch," he says, and I'm pretty sure it's more of that truth thing. "But she pays well. Seriously. We make more offa her a few months a year than we do the rest of the year picking up paydays. Look. Be glad of the extra body on Polyphemus. Doc's a bit of a target there."

She blushes scarlet. Like that's true. Wacky. She's no ravishing beauty. . .

But lots of things can make people targets. And Jesus, what do I care what they're up to? Get the ship fixed up. Get kitted up. Then, if I still wanna drop in on Jack, it wouldn't just be me as scary monster in the dark, with a shiny necklace in my pocket. I think of it, around her neck. My dick twitches. I could appear to be a gentleman of means.

I forcibly derail the thought. "Sure," I say, like I don't care. "I'm in."

* * *

Flurry of activity. I do whatever the doctor orders. We patch my ship and we fill it to the gills with stuff. A lot of it's shit, I'm sure, but it makes her happy. Doesn't make me so happy to sleep on her ship, but what the fuck. I can gut them in their jammies if I get too ansty.

* * *

Audhumla is falling away beneath us. Dhalgren's making dinner. Me and Nara are staying out of his hair in a tiny little lounge with cushy chairs. Nara opens a bottle of red wine, and pours us both really big glasses. "Thanks for all your help," she says.

I shrug. "Glad you came along." I take a swig, watching her. Jesus, I could do without these contacts for a few hours. I close my eyes and rub the eyelids. She takes a big drink. Big enough that it kinda surprises me. "Why does Dhal think you're a target?" I ask softly.

She spasms. Sorta thought she'd tell me he's full of shit, but instead she says, distantly, "My secret shame."

"I won't tell anyone," I say, low and suggestive. "Does Dhal know?"

She snorts. "Oh yeah. It's partially his fault." She takes another big drink. "Promise?"

"Huh?"

"Not to tell?"

"My word as a gentleman," I make my voice husky. Riddick like.

She refills her glass. Mine too. She clinks our glasses together. "You probably do need to know," she says. Takes another drink. She's gonna be fallin' down drunk soon 'less she drinks like this every night. She licks her lips. "I probably should have told you before you threw in with us." She looks at me like she wants reassurance. I say nothing.

"Back when I was a grad student, this amazing opportunity," her face twists, "dropped into my lap. Initial excavation on the Colchis home world. There's my doctorate right there. Sponsored by the Elementals. They wanted _me._" Another drink. "I was so proud. So stupidly proud. So I buy a ship, quit my job, come out. Get told to meet up with some people at Polyphemous station." Another drink.

She puts the glass down on the table hard. The wine sloshes. She picks up an information disc we salvaged from below, turns it over in her hands. "That's where I met Dhalgren and …" she swallows. "This girl. Just some teenager. Shock collar around her neck and her hands cuffed behind her. I thought she was a slave. Aereon sent me a message directing me to take her to Colchis. I said no." Without putting down the disk she takes another drink. "I wasn't going to transport a slave. Not what I'm here for."

She looks at me like she expects me to say something. "That would be wrong," I say, finally.

"Yeah." She nods like I said something important. "That's what I thought. So they take her back to Toombs's ship, and so she escapes." She looks sick. Puts the disc down with a click.

"That bother you?" I say, softly.

"Sometimes. Caused Dhal no end of trouble; he was the one with her when she did it." She shakes herself, pulls out a dagger we found down there that I had my eye on. Sorta surprised she had it in her pocket. I watch it. "No. I can't blame her. But I got to Colchis, and Aereon . . . fired me."

Get to the point already, lady. She shakes herself. "I begged her not to. I begged her to let me prove myself. I'd spent everything I had; left behind everything else; it would have taken me years to get that degree. Finally, she said that there was one way she could trust me." She swallows. Jesus, lady, just fucking get to the point, will you?

"Yeah?" I say, finally.

She nods. Taps the back of her neck with the dagger. "I could agree to . . . have a control chip implanted. Like a slave. So that she could ensure my loyalty. I finish the job, they take it out. That was almost ten years ago."

Huh.

"That sucks," I say.

"It really does," she says. She puts down the knife. I put my hand on it, move it away from her. She watches it slide away. "And that's why I have a . . . body guard. Place like Polyphemus, I'm . . . property."

"I'm . . . sorry," I say. And I'm surprised; I mean it.

She takes another drink. She's feeling it. "And that's why we're picking up the doctor who did this to me. I hate . . . it."

Dhalgren comes in, carrying a platter of food. He sets it down on the table with a thunk. "We're tellin' mountain man our secrets?" he asks. He hands us both chopsticks.

I roll them around in my hands. The food smells good. All bite sized and piled up together, with little dishes of dipping sauces. Convivial. I grunt. "Some of them," I say. "Why we picking up this doctor?"

She takes a deep breath. "He's going to do to her what he did to me," she says.

"Do to who?" I say.

Dhalgren grins. "The Last Daughter of The Fucking Colchis," he says, like it tastes good. My stomach clenches. "What we should have done when we had her, even if we were gonna let her go free range." He gives me a look. "Don't worry. It's _all_ legal. We're working for the fucking Elementals. We're on the right side of history. What ever we do, we're covered." He picks up a piece of meat and shoves it into his mouth.

The blood is roaring in my ears. Nara says, drunkenly annunciating every word carefully. "What ever we do. Because we're saving the universe from Necromongers." She empties the bottle into her glass and stares hard at the dagger.

I hear myself growl. "_Who," _I say, again.

"No one you'd know," Dhalgren says. He licks his lips at me. It's all I can do not to gut him. "A fucking rich girl from New Mecca. The fucking cunt who got my brother killed. Jack al-Walid."


	24. I See You Shiver

**Chapter 24: I See You Shiver**

We're docked at Polyphemus. Me and Nara stayed on board. Dhalgren headed off to get the doctor.

The wacky thing is? Once I got over wanting to gut Dhalgren and dump Nara out an air lock, I got _happy. _ A million to one chance I'd stumble over these guys; a million to one chance they'd ask me to come along.

A million to one chance she'd grow up at all, with all the monsters who had her scent. Had a dream once the kid got lost in the dark and I spent the rest of my life hunting her down. And there was a part of me that loved it. Gave me something to do. Gave me something to want. All guilt free, because I never got my hands on her.

A million to one chance they'd offer her up to get me to kill some guy. Might even do it, depending.

Depending on whether this crazy hold she's got over me survives seeing her. Maybe even depending on whether this crazy hold she's got over me survives fucking her.

Down boy. I've always done right by her. I'm proud of that. I gotta remember that.

Unlike Abu.

My mood darkens. The thing I'm tryin' not to think about, out here where I can't do nothing about it. I trusted that asshole. I trusted him with her. He sold us both out. No one else in the galaxy knew I was on Audhumla. No one else had any reason to have her dragged all over my winter wonderland.

I take a deep breath. And another. Jack first.

Nara's embarrassed about last night. She didn't mean to tell me all that. Been avoiding me. Decide it's time to go be friendly and helpful.

She's in Borson's ship. My ship. Going through some of the stuff we salvaged, crammed wherever it'd fit. "Hey," I say.

"Mr. Richards," she says, distantly.

"Hey," I say. "Call me – call me Cy. Can I help?"

"Cy." She passes a hand over her head. "Yeah. You can. First, have a drink with me?"

"You bet." I let her lead me back to her ship. She finds a bottle of port, pours us both four fingers. I toast her. "To making it."

"Salud," she says. We both take a sip. "I want you to know," she says, dripping sincerity, "I'm going to do all I can for the girl. I know you don't approve."

I grunt. "I don't love it. But – shit happens. I get that." As much truth as I'm gonna give her tonight.

"Yeah," she says. "Shit happens. I'm trying – I'm trying – I'm trying to stop as much of it as I can."

I look her over. "Good."

She smiles at me. "What I tell you three times is true. Look. About this doctor. He's . . . very good at what he does."

"Cuttin' up women?"

She gives me a look. "At being one of the morally ambiguous characters that populate my life, yes."

Huh. "Not a true believer like you?"

She snorts. "High functioning sociopath like-" she cuts herself off abruptly. "Like many people out there. Just – stay away from him. If you can. He finds a way to use people."

I resist scowling at her. "Did it hurt?" I ask all gentle like.

She takes a drink. "The chip? Going in? No. Testing it – that hurt like hell. And the other things it makes you feel are - humiliating. But Aereon's not a sadist. It could have been worse."

Coulda been worse. Something beeps. She pulls her communicator. "Oh, good," she says. "Dhalgren's got him. We can go."

* * *

They introduce me to the doctor. He stands up straight and makes eye contact. I smile and act harmless. Mostly harmless. Work on my ice giant coat. So domestic.

* * *

We beat Toombs by about a day. There's no one on Colchis keeping the light on for us. Nara don't like it. Guess there were people here when she left. Private contractors. She didn't let me listen to their good bye message, but it makes her purse her lips. Dhalgren mutters about Balor. I nod like I care.

Haven't decided what to do about the doctor. Nara has me unloading my ship, which works for me, 'specially since she gets the nanites all swarming it over, fixing it up. Dhalgren's "helping," which seems to be mostly fussin' with the float pallet . But we're getting things done. Nara's runnin' around, storin' stuff.

The doctor ain't helpin'. He went off to check on the clinic. Nara takes me to a little room six levels down. There's dim track lighting everywhere. "Ms. al-Walid suspects this was the control room. We're going to start her here," she says. "We already patched it up as well as we can, but do you know how to lay cable?"

"Yeah," I say. "More or less."

She shows me some panels with cables snaking out of them. "All these bright orange cables? Those are ones we installed, trying to hook them up to the power plant five levels down. We need to rip them out, replace them with the green ones we picked up on Audhumla . As much as we can. And the black ones are the data lines. They need to be replaced with the gold. Can you do that? I'd counted on the Balor techs still being here."

"No problem," I say, bemused. "How far they gotta go?"

"This way." She guides me through the tunnels. They've put in track lighting, but it's fucking dark where we're going. She takes me to an enormous hole in the ground. "We call it the well. The Colchis ran their lines right through the rock, but that's turned out to be too much of a pain, so we're using this. Leave the ends of the cables here. We'll hook them up later."

I play my hand light down the darkness. It don't hit the bottom. "What's down there?"

"More of the same," she says. "I think they carved this place out of rock. Just kept expanding down until they hit the water table." Her communicator blips. "Yes?"

"Doctor Nara," the doc says. She tenses. "Would you report to the med bay now, please? I want to test the equipment."

"Shit," she mutters. "Yes, doctor," she says. "I'll be right there." She hands me a pair of heavy gloves without meeting my eyes, heads back the way we came.

I wait until she's gone. Then I drop over the edge of the pit and

I lower myself down the rock wall about twenty feet, carefully. Swing the light down, and I still can't see the bottom. Climb down another thirty, try again. See ground, far below. Dry. And I don't smell water. Huh. Climb back up and get to work on the conduits.

On my second trip back to my ship for supplies, I hear her scream. Start to head her direction. Dhalgren steps in front of me. "She won't thank you, bro," he says, serious as a heart attack.

"Huh?"

"That doc is checking her chip. He does that every time." He spits on the ground. "Best pretend you don't hear it. You'll just embarrass her. She play her part, they'll take it out. Until then, they gotta test it."

"You work for some nasty people."

He shrugs. "It's a living. Nara's tough. She'll be fine. He always does the pain thing first. It's just like a cattle prod. No harm done. We use things like that all the time on bounties."

I turn away, grab an armload of the green cable he's stacked in front of my ship. Been hit with those prods a time or twelve.

He keeps prattling on. "I burst in once, just when he went to test the sex stuff. There she was, on the table-" My head snaps to him. He takes a step back. "Jesus, man. It's fine. She was just worked up. But it was pretty embarrassing."

"You help her get off?" I say, softly.

"No," he says. "I'm not that kinda guy."

I grunt. The thought of Jack writhing on the ground while some asshole gets his rocks off . . .

Is fucking tempting. Instant hero, if I take her from that. I loop the cable over my shoulder, stomp down the tunnel. "Don't you want a float pallet ?" Dhalgren calls after me. "I'm almost done with this load."

"I got it," I grind out.

"Suit yourself, asshole," he calls back. I'm halfway back to the maybe-control room before my heart rate slows down. I lay the cable carefully on the table, stare at its snaking loops. Pull on the gloves Nara gave me. Insulated. Smart. I find the end of a cable, start splicing it into the wall.

I can't hear Nara or the doc here. Only sounds are the ones I'm making and the echoes from the pit. Finish the splice. Start spooling out the cable, following the orange line slowly.

Thinking of Jack, twisting.

I let the cable pool at my feet at the edge of the pit.

* * *

Much later, Nara shows. She's all apologetic about the fact my ship's cabin still full of salvaged shit so I'll have to sleep in the station. She doesn't look at me. I don't make her. She gives me my choice of where to bunk. I go for my own floor.

I cat nap for a couple of hours, find the gloves, ease into the tunnels. Floors are rough enough that it's hard to walk quiet. I do anyway. I can hear, barely, Nara and Dhalgren sleeping in their own little rooms. Head to the clinic. It's not locked. I slip in.

The smell hits hard. Fear. Arousal. Shame. Sex. Kinda turns me on.

He's got a cot. Sleeping like a baby. I debate waking him up for a little heart to heart.

Nah.

Breaking his neck would be easy and fun. But it would show. Toombs'll be here in the morning, and I know he can recognize a broken neck.

Very gently, I put one hand on his chest. Put one hand over his mouth and nose. Press.


	25. Anticipation

**Chapter 25: Anticipation. **

The doc's eyes open. He tries to fight me. I twist, and I'm over him, muffling him, pinning him. He's writhing underneath me. I kinda like it.

He tries to bite, but Nara's gloves are too thick. He does manage to scratch my arm, through the blankets, along the cut I made to show Jack I cared. It stings a bit. I give him a wink he can't see.

He takes almost three minutes to die. When I'm sure he's not there any more, I lift up, tuck him in pretty, straighten his features. Hunt his room until I find his console. It boots up just fine to his thumbprint. He was reviewing Jack's medical records when he went to sleep.

He has all her medical records. And her psych records. Jesus. She has psych records. Why the hell does she have psych records? Is she fucked up? Or just some rich kid wanting therapy?

I grind my teeth, force myself to read the tiny screen. Hits me pretty fast – these ain't therapy records. Someone worked up a whole psychological profile. The type you do on enemy commanders. To highlight the weaknesses. Nice bulleted list. Idealistic. Self sacrificing. Abandonment issues. Grandiosity. History of suicidal ideation. Suggests she's vulnerable to idealistic appeals. "Wants to be a person worth saving." Okay, fine, good to know. Scroll down. "Positive feedback has exceptional results. Surprisingly compliant with suggestion to become engineer." Shit. "Given strong evidence of past rape trauma syndrome, subject likely strong susceptible to Stockholm Syndrome." What the fuck? No details. I glare at the screen.

I turn to her straight up medical records. Perfectly healthy. Contraceptive implant. Now, that's interesting. There's a photo section. I pull it up.

It opens to the picture the doc had finished on. Bruised wrists. That almost undoes me. I know how you get those types of bruises.

The bruised wrists resolve into a shot of her face when she got them. Sixteen years old. The age she was when Toombs dragged her to Audhumla. Jesus. Did they cuff her and rape her? Nothing in the records says either way. I stare at the picture, probably taken in a clinic. Pretty. Angry. Definitely old enough to fuck.

Jesus. Not looking for one handed reading here. Pull up the last shot, taken a few months ago.

She looks . . . fine. Not a medical photo, looks like it was taken at a wedding. Jesus, is she married? I flip back to the demographic stuff. Says she's single. I go back to the picture, study the face. Flushed. Ordinary. Wearing one of those pretty bone shivs I gave her around her neck like a pretty necklace. That makes me happy.

Do a quick scan for anything weird. Only one thing jumps out. "Evidence of human variants in genes. Denies knowledge." There's a line like that in my medrecs.

I close the file and go back to my little room. Jerk off, thinking of her.

* * *

Jack was back at work, like she'd never left, working through a rehabilitation project. Old, beautiful building, needed to be hardened to withstand earthquakes, without spending enormous amounts of money. The more she probed, the more things she found she wanted to keep. She almost felt like she was walking through the building. And then she was, her bare feet on the cold stone. She knew she shouldn't be there, but she couldn't resist going to the garden on the roof just this once. There was a ladder. She climbed up and up until her head poked out into the middle of a grove of fruit trees. A man reached down to help her.

"Hey, sis," Dion, her brother, long dead, said with a grin. She looked down the ladder, debating whether to climb down. When alive, her brother had been mercurial; she doubted death had made him easier. As if he knew what she was thinking, Dion's grin dropped away and his hand tightened on her arm, easily pulling her up. Held her close against him for what could have been an instant, could have been an eternity; his dreadlocks falling around her face. Despite herself, she relaxed into his arms. "Missed you," he said, huskily. "Hey, sis," he called over his shoulder. "Look who's here."

A woman in a black and silver uniform turned. "Oh, Dion," she sighed. For a moment, Jack thought it was her mother. She came closer and became Jack's sister, Radne. She touched Jack's face. "I'm sorry, little sister."

Jack's eyes hurt. "Why are you here? You've been dead a million years."

"Don't believe the hype," Dion said, grinning. He was wearing the same uniform as Radne, only with an incongruous, but familiar, green and gold necklace. He pulled a golden coin from his pocket and tossed it in the air. "Call it."

"Isn't that mom's necklace?"

"Yeah. All that's left of her. Call it."

She didn't want to. "Stupid game."

"Only game in town." His voice dropped low and meaningful, and for a moment, he looked more like Riddick than he had any right to. "But if you won't play, I will eat you."

"Don't be monsters, children" Radne said. "We're family."

"Oh, good," Jack said. "I'm sister to a cannibalistic corpse."

"You're the daughter of dragons," Dion said. "Whatdya expect?" He tossed her the coin.

She caught it. Looked at it. On one side a Gorgon's head. On the other, the sun, with the moon passing in front of it. She started to toss the coin back.

"No," Radne said. "Keep it. It might pay your way some day."

"Why does he hate me?" Jack asked. The coin twisted in her hand. She shoved it into a pocket. It burned against her hip.

"Because you survived," Radne said. "Because of where you're going. Because you're going to have a chance to save the day."

"Yeah, right," Dion said. The coin was in his hands again, or one just like it. He tossed it into the air and it spun and spun. "It'd mean _submission. _Doing what the ice-bitch wants. Working for people who put chains on her wrists. Betraying that monster of hers. She's not a good enough person for any of that." He snatched the coin out of the air.

"Fuck you," Jack said.

He grinned. "I'm there, sis. Just spread your legs." She shuddered. But he looked so much like Riddick she couldn't move. "I don't really hate you. I love you. You're my little sister. I killed for you, long before _he _did. And I died defending you. So to speak." He tossed the coin. Jack caught it. It was warm.

Radne sighed. "And you want to eat her. Just like he does. Listen, sis, this is it. You're almost home. You're going to find the . . . the McGuffin ex Machina, and you're going have to decide whether or not to use it. If you do, you'll see us again. We can all be dead together. Or you can run."

Jack woke, locked in a cryo tube. The ship was groaning as it decelerated.

* * *

Wake up cold. Head back to my ship. Still full of crap and nanites. No takin' off yet unless I steal another.

It's cold too; cold enough that I root around Borson's closet until I find a heavy knit sweater. Still cold. I drape on my ice-giant cape. More of a cloak, really, even though I haven't got the sleeves done.

I rub a hand over my face. Jack's almost here. Dhalgren thinks there's just gonna be three or four of 'em on the ship, but he don't know. Old lady mighta added more security. They're gonna land their little ship in the flight deck and come down the ramp, thinking we're all friends.

I got a gun. I could kill 'em all easy. Maybe.

But I don't want to kill Nara. I don't even wanna kill Dhalgren. I'm kinda regretting killing the doctor. Jack-with-chip is woulda been a whole lot easier to control than Jack-without, if her psych profile's right. If Nara's right that they're fighting the big bad. Jack's gonna wanna help. The more monstrous they are to her, the easier it'll be to take her outta here.

Part of me wants to let her do whatever it is they brought her here to do, then kill the mercs and take her outta here. Leave Nara to do whatever she's gonna do. If these bastards destroyed Coalsack, be doin' the universe a favor to take 'em out.

But the longer I'm here, the bigger risk Toombs' is gonna figure out who I am.

I hunt around until I find a ridiculous orange hat. The sort Riddick would never wear. Jam it over my ridiculous hair, eye myself critically. With the monster pelt, the facial hair, the stupid sweater and the orange hat, I look like a crazed mountain man. The type who doesn't know this hat is ridiculous. Nice thing about the cold, I can keep on the gloves. Won't help for long if they've got good DNA sniffers, but lotta mercs don't hold with that.

I root around and find the necklace I was gonna give to Jack. Nicely barbaric. Too much? I slip it on. Not much for jewelry, but hey. Fancy dress.

Rearrange my hardware so I can reach it. My ship tells me Nara's out side, calling me. I go see what she wants. She's at the bottom of the ramp, looking twitchy.

"The doctor's dead," she says.

"Huh," I say. "You off him?"

Her lips twitch. "Not really my thing," she says. Runs a hand over her head. "Look. He died in his sleep. We gotta put him in cold storage to ship back to his people. Can you – can you help?"

"Sure." I don't smile, but I want to. This'll mess up the forensics something fierce. Wonder if she suspects. "What happened?"

She shrugs. "Hell if I know. Didn't look like it hurt."

* * *

We load the body in a cryo tube and wait for Toombs's little ship to land. All three of us; me, Nara, and Dhalgren. Standing shoulder to shoulder like we're friends. The ship lands, and Toombs walks down. "Hey, goatfucker," he says.

"Hey," Dhalgren says, sounding sheepish.

"So you lost the doctor," Toombs says. He gives me a puzzled look. I stick close to Nara. Like I'm in it for her. He might buy it.

"I didn't lose him, goat fucker," Dhalgren snaps. "He lost himself. Died in his sleep."

"Be as that may," Nara says, goin' all high class on us all, "We need the young lady's assistance. Please bring her out."

Toombs looks at her, one of those slow and lazy looks that I figure means he's trying to play like he's playin' stupid. Fortunately, he is stupid. "Ice bitch told me not to lose her again."

"So don't lose her again," Nara says. "The Emissary also wants us to finish our work as quickly as possible."

The woman from Toombs' message comes out, all muscle and mean. She nods at Nara like they're buds, but ignores me. Huh. "What do you wanna do, boss?" She's got a fuckin' big gun strapped to her hip.

Toombs seems to come to a decision. "Let's go get the princess," he says. "Dhal, you still got that jewelry you picked up for her last time?"

"Huh?" Dhalgren says.

"Come on, goat fucker," Toombs says, exasperated. Dhalgren follows him into the ship. Leavin' Nara and me standin' there like idiots.

She's rubbing her arms like she's cold. I think about it for a moment, and put my hands on her shoulders. Give 'em a squeeze. "He gonna be a problem?"

She looks up at me, lookin' old. "For me? No. But that poor girl." I can feel a shiver go through her. She looks away from me. "I'm glad you're here," she says, low. I don't know what to say to that. I just squeeze her shoulders again. "_God _I want this to be over," she mutters. "What did we do to live in such times?"

"Don't think it works that way," I murmur, not really thinkin' about it. But it seems to mean something to her.

"No. I don't think it does either." The hatch opens, and my heart stops. For the first time in weeks - years - I see her. Only she's all grown up and she's not lookin' at me.

She comes down the ramp, looking down. Her feet are bare and her hands are cuffed behind her back. She's got that cryo fog around her and maybe something else. Toombs has a hand on her arm. It's all I can do not to rip it off. But I still don't know who else is on the ship. I concentrate on my breathing.

Nara steps forward. "Ms. al-Walid. It's good to see you again. I'm sorry it's under such circumstances.

Jack looks up and those green eyes hurt to see. "We know each other?" she says, her voice rough.

"We met on Polyphemus Station," Nara says. "About ten years ago."

My Jack flushes scarlet. Her voice is clearer. "Oh. You've been working this project a long time then."

"My tenure piece. Also, I was from Coalsack."

I can't think. I have to think. I hear her voice, coming from a long way away. "I'm so sorry."

"We're trying to keep it from happening to anyone else," Nara says. She looks at Toombs. "I'm so sorry you've been dragged back into this. But I am very glad for your help."

Jack locks eyes with her. I stay very still, almost wishing I wasn't here. "I'll . . . do my best," Jack says, "You don't have – you don't have to keep me tied up. I will try, I promise-" her voice chokes off and she looks away.

"They did it to me too, Jack," Nara says, softly. "When they weren't sure they could trust me. You learn to live with it."

Jack looks at her. Then she finally looks at me. Her eyes go up and down, and she _recognizes _me. Makes my heart sing. Her eyes lock on mine. I wanna smile at her, but they're all watching, so I give her a wink and a leer. Like I wanna do her.

She recoils away from me.

Like the thought of being with me disgusts her.

I can't breathe.


	26. The Lady and the Lions

**Chapter 26: The Lady and the Lions **

"Problem?" Toombs says. He's lookin' at me, but he's talkin' to her. She doesn't say anything. "You two know each other?" he asks, all casual like.

Shit. "Like to _get_ to know her better," I say, all light. Her eyes flicker across me, fix on my chest. Maybe she likes the necklace? My hand twitches to give it to her. Down boy.

Toombs snorts. "Well, she don't get her job done, you might just get to do that. After I've had a couple of goes."

"Jesus, Derek," the girl merc says. Jack drops her eyes and shudders. It takes me a ridiculously long time to figure out what he just said. My head whips around to him and the bastard's smirking at me.

I'm going to kill him slowly.

Jack takes a breath like she's going to say something. Nara steps forward, hands out. "Derek, please. I know-" her voice catches. She keeps going. "I know what your orders are. But as long as she's here and cooperating, I want her treated well." Right. Nara. Don't wanna kill her. Stupid to kill anyone until my ship's fixed. I force myself to stay relaxed. Toombs looks like he got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He gives her a nod. Jack's eyes flicker back to me, and the hope and fear in them makes me nauseous. Nara just keeps on talkin'. "Where are her shoes? These floors will rip up her feet."

"Got 'em right here," Toombs says, lifting up a rucksack. "With the rest of her shi – her stuff. I'll play along, doc, but my orders say I gotta keep her under control. Given what happened last time, that means she stays in restraints under my watchful eye."

"We'll need her hands," Nara says, evenly. "We need to get to work. And she can't walk in the tunnels in bare feet."

"If she can't walk, she can't run," Toombs says, seriously.

"I could carry her." I say to Nara. Didn't know I was gonna say it until I heard myself do it. Jack flushes red.

"What a good idea," Nara says. I wink at her and turn back to Jack, standing there in her ridiculous green dress and bare feet, hands shackled behind her. Trembling. Hits me she's cold.

Toombs looks at me, all suspicious like. "Who the fuck are you, anyway?"

I shrug at Nara. "I'm with her." I force myself to move like I ain't plannin' on killin' anyone. Jack's so tense it's making my teeth ache. But she doesn't step back.

"Derek, please meet Cyrus Richards. I hired him to help us move some archeological material," Nara says, all serious like. "I asked him to stay and help out since we seem to have been abandoned by the Balor corporation. Mr. Richards, please meet Derek Toombs. He has been attached to this project for a long time."

"Oh, transpo guy, huh?" Seems to make Toombs happy. "Glad you're here for sherpa duty."

I manage to roll my eyes at him. I'm right in front of her, and it's making me dizzy. Her eyes flicker up to me fast, then skate away like she don't wanna look. I'm tempted to cup her face in my hand, make her. I forebear. But I play nice guy and swing her up in my arms like I like her, instead of over my shoulder like I half intended. It's awkward with her hands cuffed, and she's so tight I'm afraid I'm gonna break her.

"Relax," I whisper into her into her ear loud enough for Toombs to hear. "Done this before. I'll be gentle."

She spasms. Toombs sniggers. My dick twitches. Down, boy. Now ain't the time. "Where we goin'?" I call out to Nara.

"That room we were working on," she says. I cuddle Jack close enough that her shivers tickle. Toombs sniggers again. I give him a grin. Like I'm winning. Why not? I got the girl and she ain't goin' nowhere without me. I head down the tunnel. Everyone follows along like ducklings. Great.

"I know why you lost the Balor folks," Toombs announces. "It's the little girl's fault."

"How?" Nara asks.

"Turns out that bitch Angela Hyperion." He spits on the ground. Jack flinches. "Fucking us over. Again. She went after them the moment we grabbed the girl. Started talkin' 'bout human rights violations and civil liability and Balor pulled out."

Jack's lips twitch, just a tiny bit. She likes that. Interesting. Toombs keeps on talkin'. "They shoulda let me scrag her ten years ago."

Whatever was making Jack happy goes away.

Nara stops. I don't. "How – how on earth did Angela Hyperion know to put pressure on Balor?"

"How the fuck would I know?" Toombs says.

"Did Aereon say anything about this to you?" Nara hurries after me.

"How do you think we know?"

Nara catches up with us. She gives Jack a very strange look. "Seems you've got better friends than I do, Jack," she says, bitterly. "You're a lucky woman."

Jack swallows. "You said – you said they did it to you too. What did they do?"

"Put a chip in my neck so I would do what they wanted. After you escaped, they didn't trust me."

"I'm so sorry," Jack says, faintly. "I didn't – I didn't mean to get you in trouble. Do I – do I have a chip in my neck?" Toombs snorts.

"Not yet," Nara says, darkly. "The man who was supposed to implant it died in his sleep. Jack, this is important. How did Angela Hyperion know to get involved?"

Fuck me, Jack's crying. I sigh, glare at Nara. She looks apologetic. "I'm sorry," she says. "But it's important. If we have a leak, the Necromongers might know about our work here."

Jack shakes her head. Toombs butts in. "You still fuckin' the little Hyperion?" The words make no sense to me. Jack says nothing. Toombs gets real close. "Your ex boyfriend not so ex?"

_Boyfriend. _The word splashes across me. "You wanna carry the little girl?" I hear myself ask.

"Nah."

"Then back off. Don't wanna trip over you."

"Be a pal, man." I snort. He backs off, just a bit. "You gonna cooperate?" He says to her, softly. "Make Nara happy?"

That seems to hit. "Balor tried to hire me. I got a bad feeling about it, and I called – Yunas. I needed a reality check. He was there last time you kidnapped me." My head whips over to Toombs, who snickers at me. "I also asked him to take care of my dogs," Jack adds, real quiet, like it hurts. "If anything happened to me. It wouldn't have been too hard to put together."

Dogs. Huh. I like dogs. Nara nods like that story makes sense to her. Think about asking if Jack's got a boyfriend. Decide that way don't lead anyplace good. I shift her slightly and her eyes flicker up to me, full of tears. I grin at her. She doesn't recoil this time, but there's no longer recognition in those green eyes.

"'Ain't kidnapping when you're working for The Man," Toombs says. "We're doin' the Lord's work. So ya think he'll try to rescue you?" Toombs says. "Charge in like a hero? Save the girl, save the day? Should we be ready for him?"

He's making fun of her, but I wanna know the answer too. "Once upon a time, maybe," she says, and there's a note of satisfaction in her voice I don't get. "He's got a wife and child now. Life goes on."

"Sometimes," Nara mutters. I look over at her. Shift Jack again; she's heavier than she looks.

We're there at last. Nara opens the door, turns on a lantern. The floor in the room is smoother, but still not great for bare feet. All the chairs have deep backs; I put Jack on one of those, she'll have to stand up to let Toombs get the cuffs off. I set her down on the conference table itself and step back. She gives me a quick look I can't interpret.

Toombs moves between us, slaps his communicator. "Hey, goat fucker. You find the jewelry yet?"

"Nope," Dhalgren says. "Still looking. This place is a mess."

Toombs grunts. "Just gotta make do, then." He pulls out a tangle cord from his belt, grabs Jack's right ankle. She tries to scoot away, but he knows what he's doing and he's got it looped around and tight before she can. Another loop around the other ankle, leaving himself with a long loose end. He shoves the table. When it doesn't move, he loops the end around a table leg. He steps back. I'm a little impressed. She can shuffle around the room, but she'll have to get the tangle off to make a break for it. Not an easy thing to do, even if you got a blade. I could do it. Doubt she could. She's breathing hard.

"Now can we get to work?" Nara asks, archly.

"Yes Ma'am," Toombs says. He uncuffs Jack's wrists, leaving dark marks where they cut into her. He swings the cuffs in the air in front of her. "Don't make me put these back on you, darlin'" he says to her. "Still real curious how you got out of them last time. Have to figure that before we go Riddick hunting."

I manage not to react at the way Jack flinches at my name. She rubs her wrists like they hurt, looks at the bag hanging from Toomb's shoulder. "May I have the Balor datapad?" she asks, very politely. Toombs opens the bag, stares into it, then dumps everything out on the table. Her shoes were on top; a small bag below. "May I put on my shoes first?" she says, politely, distantly. "I am cold."

"Of course, Jack," Nara says. "I'm really sorry about this. Did you bring a coat?"

"No," Jack says. "I didn't pack for a kidnapping this morning. My mistake." Good. She's getting her sense of humor back.

Toombs barks a laugh and shoves her shoes at her. "Sorry, darlin'. Last time we let you pack a bag, couple of guys died and you got away."

Jack's shoulders slump and her fingers are all shaky. Still, she gets her shoes on like she's afraid Toombs is going to change his mind. "I'm sure that wasn't your fault," Nara says, gently. "Derek, could you go to my room and get her one of my sweaters?"

"Nope," he says. "Send the transpo guy. I'm supposed to stay with her."

I grunt, take off my ice giant cape, tuck it around Jack's shoulders. Let my finger run across the side of her neck as I fasten it. She's got a leather cord around her neck I think I know. Maybe she packed for her kidnapping after all. I give her shoulders a squeeze. She blinks up at me again, and now I'm almost sure she don't know who I am. "Thank you," she says, softly. "But don't – don't be too nice to me. It's not safe."

"Don't worry about it," I say. "Did that asshole really kidnap you twice?"

"Nope," Toombs says, proudly. "Proper authorities turned her both times. Shook hands with her dad and everything."

I give him a sharp look, which he seems to like. "Well, that makes it all better," she says, seeming to recover. She moves out from under my hands, lowers herself to the floor. "Let's get to work."


	27. Clashing Walls

**Chapter 27: Clashing Walls **

_Toombs is an ass._

He wouldn't let her program the nanites. She had to describe what she wanted to Nara, and it was like working through duraplast. Finally, they'd got the nanites to the power plant and points in between and she had focused her attention on this one room.

At first, it was dizzying; all the things that could be done; all the things that had been done wrong. But once her hands were in the walls, everything started to make sense. She could see her way clear to something clean and functional. Sometimes, she almost saw something beautiful; some glimpse of an electronic intelligence just waiting to wake up and play.

Jack had managed not to think about anything but engineering for hours and hours. Finally, fixing it was becoming routine enough that she could tackle tiny pieces of the world around her.

She couldn't handle Toombs, but he seemed willing to sit back and let her do the job. Eve almost seemed to like her. Dhalgren glared at her when he thought no one was looking, but it was increasingly half hearted.

And then there was the transpo guy. The one who looked so familiar.

She carefully threaded a scavenged cable in to replace the fancy corporate one. _It can't be Dion. He's been dead a long time. _

_Then why is he wearing mom's necklace? _A reasonable part of her answered. _And he sure looks like he knows who you are. _

She pulled up more schematics, pushed deeper in the wall.

_Mom probably brought that necklace from here. He probably just found one that looked like it and grabbed it as a trophy. It's splashy. Looks valuable. And no guy wears a hat like that if he doesn't want people to look at him. _

She glanced over her shoulder at him, sorting through a pile of scavenged material. Their eyes met, his brown eyes seeming like shields, not windows, for his soul. He'd been watching her with those dark eyes. She gave him a nod, turned back.

_He just wants to fuck me, _she told herself, reasonably_. _ _Dion wouldn't want to fuck me. He's my brother. _

She swapped two connections, tightened them.

_Was my brother. _

_And he didn't like me. _

She swallowed. Heard someone shift behind her. Richards. _He didn't know me. I was what, seven, when he died? _

_If he died. _

That little niggle of doubt. She stood up, stretched to get the kink out of her back. "May I have some more water?" she asked, politely. Toombs grunted and tossed her a bottle. She caught it, wincing as the shock went through her bruised wrists. Richards' eyes narrowed.

_He's pretty fucking attentive for a stranger. _She drank sparingly. The subject of toilet privileges hadn't come up yet. She was not looking forward to it.

She put the wall panel back, moved down to the next access panel. She hadn't been looking forward to this one. The hollow was the size of a small closet; big enough that two people could get their entire bodies into it, if they crouched. The track lighting and lantern they were using for light barely penetrated. _I am not afraid of caves, _she told herself.

"Does anyone have a flash light?" she asked.

Toombs grunted again, patted his pockets, pulled out something sleek and lethal looking. He tossed it to her. "This work?"

She turned it over in her hands. It seemed to be designed to be mounted on a gun. She adjusted it to wide and low, turned it on. "Yeah. Thanks," she said. Tried to figure out how to mount it on something in the hole. It didn't seem to like that idea.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Richards stand, stretch like a cat, then move close. He crouched beside her, his body large in the small space. "Need a hand?" he asked, his voice light and pleasant, his body language anything but.

"Sure," she said. "Can you hold the light on this?" She touched one of the bad connections. He nodded, situating himself so he was pressed into her.

_He definitely wants to fuck me, _she thought. _Poor bastard. _If only she wasn't half convinced it was her crazy dead half brother. If only he wasn't wearing that ridiculous orange hat. If only his interest didn't make something twist deep inside. If only it wouldn't get him killed if Riddick did show up, it might be fun. She reached for the next wrong connection.

"Thank you for the cape," she said, quietly. "I'd be frozen without it."

"Next time you're kidnapped, bring a sweater," he said, lightly.

Toombs snorted. "I'm hungry," he announced. "What about you two love birds?" Richards rolled his eyes at her. "Hey, transpo guy. Get us some pizza?"

"Fuck off," Richards said, pleasantly.

"What kinda transpo guy are you anyway?"

"Just passing through," he said. "Not opening a pizza delivery business."

Jack felt her lips twitch. Richards winked at her. And then she felt a hard tug on her ankles. She looked over her shoulder, and Toombs was pulling on the tangle cord, meaningfully. "Asked you a question," he said, then yanked the cord hard. She lost her balance and landed awkwardly on her hands, hitting her head on a pipe as she went down. Richards disappeared and the hard pull of the cord on her ankles changed. She twisted around again, and he was standing behind her, a heavy boot on the cord, stopping Toombs, but trapping her in the wall. Toombs's hand was near his side arm.

_Shit. Those two aren't gonna play nice. _"Yes, I'm hungry," she answered, quickly, head throbbing. "It's been a long time since that dinner."

"Cool." Toombs said, easily. "You just gotta remember to cooperate, and I won't hurt you. Much."

"Don't be a dick, Derek," Logan said, exasperated. "I'll go get us some god damned pizza." She threw the datapad she'd been reviewing and stood, eyes narrow. _She's going to back him up, _Jack though. _If there's a fight_. Toombs let the cord play in his hand, looking up at Richards thoughtfully. After a long moment, he dropped it back to the floor, let his hand drift from his side arm. Richards stepped off the cord. "Play nice, children," Logan said, stalked off.

Jack backed out of the hole slowly, sat with her back against the wall, breathing hard. Richards crouched down beside her, took her head in her hand, tilted it. "That's gonna bruise," he said, his voice low.

"I've had worse," she snapped at him, jerking her head away. For an instant his hand tightened around her chin. He let go, swallowing convulsively. Familiarly. _I can't handle this. _She closed her eyes.

"My bad," Toombs said, sounding every so slightly contrite. "Forgot you weren't one of the big bad guys they usually send me after. Gotta be firm with them. You okay, darlin'?"

"Little light headed," she answered. Give me a minute."

_I'm alone with two men who could kill me. _

The tangle cord around her ankles had cut into her skin when Toombs had yanked. Hurt in a way that reminded her of the pain of dislocating her thumbs and wrists again and again because Riddick wanted her to. Because she wanted to make him happy.

He hadn't shown her how to get shackles off. She'd never thought about that before.

_He killed his squad. His people. He killed them. _

_The Necros will kill everyone I have ever met. _

Her head hurt, her ankles hurt, her eyes were burning. She rubbed her face vigorously, dove back into the walls.

* * *

"You shoulda brought beer," Toombs grumbled.

Logan rolled her eyes at him. "Jesus. Go get your own. The rest of us got miles to go before we sleep."

"Yeah. I should get back to work," Jack said.

"What's your hurry, darlin'?" Toombs answered. "You barely ate anything. Thought this was our honeymoon period."

Jack felt herself flush. "You always tie up your – don't answer that."

Logan snickered. "She's got you there, Derek."

Toombs glared at her. "Don't you start." He gave Jack an almost apologetic look. "Sorry, darlin'. Doin' the best I can. Don't got a lot of babysittin' experience."

"Or engineering experience," Richards said. "Why are you here?"

Toombs puffed up. "I'm here 'cause I'm the best there is at what I do," He announced grandly. "And what I do isn't very nice."

Jack snorted. "What's that?" Richards asked.

"Huntin' down bad guys. Baggin' and taggin'. I'm rarin' to go on our Riddick hunt. So yeah, darlin', you should get back to work."

Involuntarily, Jack snorted again. "Yeah." She stood up, stretched. "You're right." She took two steps, almost fell when the rope around her ankles went taunt. She felt Richards stand up. _Not this again. _

Toombs held up a hand. "Hold up. Just hit me that you seem . . . skeptical, darlin'."

"Good thing in an engineer."

"You seem _specifically _skeptical on the subject of Riddick. Whatcha know?"

_Shit. _Not talking about Riddick was one of her guiding stars. She looked over her shoulder at Toombs. Richards had moved closer. He quirked an eyebrow at her, questioningly.

"Not much," she said, with a shrug.

"Sit back down, darlin'."

"I should get back to work."

"I wasn't askin', darlin'. Sit down, or I will take you down."

_Oh, yeah, that'd be fun. _Jack sat. "Good." Toombs picked up a piece of pizza, took a bite. "So I get the feeling you are doubting the Riddicky part of the plan. Do tell."

Jack shook her head. "There's nothing to tell."

"Huh." Toombs crammed pizza in his mouth, started sorting through his clothes. Pulled out a little black case, laid it on the table. Took another bite. "You know what this is?"

"No."

"Same stuff we shot you up with last time." He opened the case, took out a vial and a needle.

"Oh, goody, the stuff you shot into my neck?" Richards gave her a sharp look.

"Yeah, I was provin' a point. Give me your arm."

Jack didn't move. Toombs jerked his head, and Dhalgren moved behind her. He leaned over, took her hand, shoved off the cloth and fur to reveal her arm, seeming impossibly frail and bruised in his hands. He held it flat on the table, one hand pinning her hand down, the other putting uncomfortable pressure on her elbow. She stared at the scar Riddick had left.

Toombs leaned over the table, tapped her arm with two fingers. "I give you this shot, you're not gonna be doin' much more than answering questions and following direct orders for six hours. That'll set us back, and Nara will yell at me. Or you could just tell me what you know."

"I don't _know _anything."

"Okay, fair enough. Tell me what you _think._"

"Can't we do this after dinner? Fun game of 'ask the kidnap victim about her nightmares before bed?'"

"She's got a point, Derek," Logan said, reasonably.

"Yeah, she's probably right. But I've been told I don't got a lot of impulse control. I'll deal with Nara when I have to." He dropped the vial into the needle. "Am I supposed to sterilize this?"

"Jesus. I'll – talk. Think this through. First. Question. Suppose we find the MacGuffin ex Machina or whatever. Where's it going?"

"Nara'll take it on a fast transport to Helios, I 'spect."

"And then you're gonna drag me out of here as bait for Riddick. You _three_."

"We'll pick up a couple more guys," Toombs said, suddenly sounding uneasy. "Hey, transpo guy. Care to take up a bit o'merc-ing?"

"I'll check my calendar," Richards said, lightly. "Not much relevant experience, though."

"It's just like transpo work, only the packages wriggle."

Jack snorted, stared Richards in the eye. "Don't. Look, it freaks me out a bit, but I know you're trying to be nice to me. Let me return the favor. Stay the fuck away from what's coming. I have a shot of surviving. You go up against Riddick, you don't."

Toombs snorted, but Richards swallowed convulsively, dropped his eyes. Jack turned back to Toombs. "So that takes us to the next question. Big galaxy. How are you going to find him?"

"We've got some ideas. What Eve and me are workin' on, frankly. Aereon sent a bunch of data."

"I thought that was what you were doing. Aereon sent _data_. An _Elemental_, one of the most fearsome calculators in the universe, is relying on _you_ for analysis. Have you thought about that?"

"Told 'ya, I'm the best I am at what I do. And what I do is not very nice."

"You know that's a line out of a comic book."

"It is?"

"Yeah. Short, hairy guy used to say it. Look, think about it. Why you?"

"History with the package," Toombs said, slightly defensively. "That's what ice bitch said."

"Meaning him or me?"

"You, darlin'," Toombs said.

"With me. Okay. Ten years ago, you didn't find him and me, you couldn't even keep control of me. And yet one of the richest, smartest, most powerful women in the galaxy goes back to you. I think you got picked for this job because you're not just mercs, you look like mercs. Riddick hates mercs with ever fiber of his very large being. Abu knows this. Aereon must. So you show up, with me drugged and/or in chains. I'll have to be, because I will be fighting you. Seeing you will not make him happy. I think he's going to kill you all. Fifty-fifty, he kills me too, either because he doesn't recognize me or just on general principle." She looked down at her arm, still trapped in Dhalgren's dirty hands. "If he does, I think he'll feel bad. He'll figure out who I am, and he'll head to New Mecca to take it out on Abu. If he doesn't kill me-" her voice cracked. "If he doesn't, I think he'll do it anyway, even if I beg him not to. He'll see the fact I'm with mercs in chains being trawled as bait as singularly calculated to piss him off. He's gonna be looking for revenge. And that's when Aereon's gonna get him. We're the sacrifice play."

"Jesus," Toombs said. "You think he'll want revenge on the minister? For what?"

"Riddick told Abu to keep me safe. He told Abu that he didn't want me going off world or seeing a merc, 'or you'll see me again.'" She dropped her voice as low as she could on those last words. "Abu told me that." She swallowed. "I don't know if Riddick cares about me any more, but I am dead sure he still cares about the fact he saved me from monsters. You look like Riddick's idea of a monster. The fact Abu handed me to one is going to royally piss him off." She jerked her head at Dhalgren. "And he wants revenge on me, and I was just _there_ when his brother died."

Dhalgren's hands tightened hard enough that she yelped. "Sorry," he muttered. He relaxed his hands with obvious effort.

"Huh," Toombs said. "What do you think we should do about it?"

"Don't go?" she said. "Look, anyone else would have a better chance of surviving. Make Aereon send someone else. Anyone else. Hell, the counsel security guys Abu sent to kidnap me from work yesterday. Or whenever that was," she felt sick. Shook herself. "At least – put on a suit or something."

Toombs threw back his head and laughed. "I'll think about it." He put the vial, and the needle, back in its black case, secreted it back in his clothes. "Well, thank you darlin'," he said. "You'd best get back to work."


	28. High Horses

**Chapter 28. High Horses**

Seventeen hours since Jack got here. Seventeen hours of Jack tryin' to save the universe from monsters by rewiring shit. Seventeen hours of watching her, trying to see the little girl. Of trying not to. She's exhausted. The mercs are crabby. I could use a nap myself.

Nine hours since she said I might kill her. Still chewing on that. 'specially since we ran outta pizza.

Nine hours since she said I'd be stupid enough to go after Abu just because he did what I killed Johns for tryin'.

Nine hours since she let me know she knows me way too well. Except for one itsy bitsy little thing . . .

Toombs disappears for a while. When he gets back he unhooks the tangle cord from the table, holds it in his hands. Jack gives him a look but keeps working.

"Time to knock off for the night," Toombs says, finally. "Dhalgren's making dinner, and boss-lady sent a movie she wants us to watch. Come on." He's tapping the cuffs on his belt thoughtfully.

Jack looks like she's gonna protest, but I scoop her up first and she bites it off. Toombs grins at me. I grin back. It's almost like we got a thing.

Toombs leads us into what I'm guessin' was the corporate headquarters, back when there was a corporation working here. It's much warmer with lots of added ceiling panels and insulation and cushy chairs. Dhalgren's still puttering around the kitchen when we get there, but he points us into what looks like a living room, with a big old couch and love seats and everything. I set Jack down on that couch, sit beside her, all comfy like. There's water, whiskey, a bottle of something that smells like a pine tree, and a big stack of plastic novelty tumblers on a low table. So thoughtful.

Jack stands up. "I gotta pee," she says.

"I'll take her," Logan says. Toombs taps the cuffs again. "I got it, Derek," she says, exasperated. "More to the point, I ain't wiping her butt. Come on." She leads Jack away, tangle cord trailing behind her.

Toombs collapses into the cushy chair at the far side of the coffee table. "You're sweet on her," he tells me.

I shrug. Guess that's one way to put it. I'm sweet on the girl who thinks I might kill her. Sweet on the girl who thinks I'd kill a man she's beggin' me not to. Sweet on a girl they're gonna wrap up in chains and offer to me to do what I do best. Could be worse.

He leans forward, almost into my space. "Look, I don't give a fuck if you fuck her," he says. "Don't tell, but Aereon was real clear that we're not supposed to on pain of docked pay, but she didn't say squat about any big bruisers Nara picked up. Frankly, we're gonna have to tie her to a bed tonight anyway; shame to let that go to waste." I roll my eyes at him. "But here's the thing. She's right. When we're done here, we're takin' her where you don't get to follow, unless you sign up for merc-ing. And if you do, you gotta know we're selling her to the Big Bad. So don't get attached." He settles back and pours a big shot of whiskey like he's done something to be proud about.

Nara comes in, pale and wan. She pours herself a plastic tumbler of the stuff that smells like a tree and perches on the fair side of the couch. Drinks it down, starts punching buttons on her console computer.

I slide my fake eyes back to Toombs. "You sure you're the good guys?"

"Huh?"

"Nara said you're the good guys. Back when she asked me to lend a hand."

Toombs snorts. "Huh. Whatever gets you through the night." He throws back a shot, pours himself another or two.

"I said I was trying," Nara tells me, like she's climbing on a high horse. "What are you two talking about?"

"He wants to fuck the little girl," Toombs tells her. "I told him to knock himself out."

"Jesus," she says.

"And I asked him if he was sure you were the good guys," I say, all light.

Nara takes a big drink. Her voice is low and slightly broken. "I can see how you'd wonder. Are you going to?"

Takes me a second. "Jesus. I just like her. Not gonna fuckin' rape her just because some merc says I can."

Nara looks embarrassed. Dhalgren comes in with big platter of food on a big tray. He sets it down on the coffee table with a flourish, starts distributing bowls. One of them smells so good it almost shuts down my brain. "What you talkin' about?"

"Whether new guy here is gonna fuck your little nemesis." Toombs says.

"Fun. Oh yeah. Here." He digs in his pockets, tosses Toombs a sack. "Found it."

Toombs catches it, opens it up. "Nice. Still works?"

Dhal grimaces. "Yup."

"Whatcha got?" I ask.

"Control collar for your sweetheart."

Toombs waggles it in front of me. I've had one of those on before. Nasty piece of work. Killed the hell out of the guy who put one on me. On the other hand, sure make it easier to drag her out of here. I let my voice drip disgust. "Jesus," I say. "You must really be scared of her." Nara laughs, drains her plastic cup. Pours another. Dhalgren snickers.

Toombs glares at me, shoves it back in the bag. "You notice how I've got a really big gun?"

I laugh, help myself to a piece of the meat that smells so good. "Nice," I say to Dhalgren. "You got talent. Why you wastin' it with these assholes?"

He puffs up happy. "It's a living," he says. "Glad you like the lamb. Try it with the tzatziki." He hands me a bowl of something white and gooey, then sits at the chair at right angles to the couch. I shrug, and dip a piece of lamb in the sauce. Holy hell, that's good. Toombs keeps glarin', but he's lost the moment. I pour myself a glass of water, sip it.

Jack and Logan finally come back, Jack shuffling and looking even more tired than when she left. Logan drops onto the floor next to the food, picks up a piece of pita and attacks the bowl of lamb. Can't blame her for that.

Jack's still standing, fumbling with the ice giant coat. It's really too warm for it, but still, I feel my lips pull back at the sight of her trying to undress in a room full of mercs. Shake it off, get up to help her. "Lemme," I say. Again, one of those flickering looks that makes me think she knows who I am; makes me think she don't. I am gentleness itself as I unfold it from her shoulders, fold it neatly over my arm.

"Sit back on the couch with transpo guy," Toombs directs her, expansively. I glare at him. "Right in the middle. Best view," he says, winking at me broadly. Which she sees. She swallows.

I give her a winning smile. "It's okay, kid," I say. "Promise I won't bite. You."

She gives me a sharp look. "Yay," she says. "This continues to be my lucky day." Still, she shuffles toward the couch, settles down in the middle. I collapse next to her, put the cape in my lap. She closes her eyes and leans back.

"Hey," Toombs says. "Eat. We got a movie to watch. Miles to go."

Her eyes open slowly. She eyes the food. Picks up a piece of bread and chews it slowly. I take another piece of lamb, decide to follow Logan's example of wrapping it in pita.

Hits me that Jack's gotta be thirsty. I pour her a glass of water. She actually smiles at me. Swallows her bread, takes a drink.

"Try the lamb," I say.

She shakes her head. "Vegetarian."

"Jesus. How'd that happen?"

She shrugs awkwardly. "I think it was the second time something tried to eat me. Started identifying with prey animals too much."

Well, huh. May have to work on that.

"The grape leaves are veggie," Dhalgren says, nicely. Jack gives him a slightly suspicious look, takes a piece of something green, chews it thoughtfully.

"Thank you," she says to him, sounding slightly surprised. He gives her a nod. Oh, neat, they're bonding.

"All settled? Good. Nara, if you please?" Toombs says like a theatrical asshole. Nara nods, hits some buttons, and the lights go down. Then a screen on the other side of the room lights up. A woman I've seen in dreams appears on the screen. Shit. That's the Ice Bitch boss they keep going on about? Why the hell do I dream about someone in bed with Abu who turns out to be in charge of these assholes?

"Miss al-Walid," the recording says. "The Necromonger fleet took Minos seven days ago. Some very brave men and women smuggled out this recording. I thought you should see it."

The fuckin' biggest fleet I've ever seen materializes in orbit. The drop vehicles alone are the size of big buildings. Men with military discipline hunting down the weak and the young and the slow. The camera followed one man who would grab children by the ankles and bash their heads against the ground, again and again, their screams cracking silent. The weak being killed and the strong being driven like cattle. It goes on and on.

The Irritating Woman in White comes back on the screen. "This is what we are fighting. I calculate that there is a 78% chance that they will move on the Helios system once they finish absorbing Minos. The Dark Fleet could close that distance in three weeks."

The movie goes dark. Normally, I like a bit of the old violence, but that was something else. Even Toombs is quiet. He pulls the whiskey bottle close, pours a double shot into his plastic tumbler. He looks at us like he's seeing us for the first time, adds a slug to Nara's empty glass; leans over her and pours a generous double shot right into Jack's water cup, then shoves the bottle at me. What the hell. I pour a couple of fingers into my water glass, hand the flask on to Dhalgren. He takes a swig, passes it to Eve. She takes it and takes a big drink.

Jack picks up her cup, swirls it. "I hate the movies you show me," she says, shakily. She takes a sip. "Jesus. I still have nightmares about the last one."

Toombs laughs. No one joins in. "Hell of a thing," he says. Looks at me. "Ever see anything like it?"

I start to say no, but it catches in my throat. I grunt. "Was a soldier once. Saw some shit. But killin' kids-"

My voice wanders away. I have seen that before. I can't fuckin' remember where. Maybe the cryo did something to me after all. Look at my drink.

"What movie?" Toombs asks. No one answers. "Hey. New Mecca. What movie?" Takes me a second to figure out he's talkin' to Jack.

"The Riddick one," Logan answers for her. Jack closes her eyes. It takes almost everything I got not to come off the couch and start killing.

"Oh yeah," Toombs says with a smirk. "Yeah. Where special bus kills his squad. Almost forgot about that."

Shit. No wonder she has nightmares about me. Jesus. She's seen me kill people I cared about. I blink a few times. "You guys keep going on about this Riddick guy. What makes him so special?" I ask, making my voice light.

"Ice Bitch wants him to be the delivery device," Toombs says, darkly. "Thinks he has the best shot."

Jack makes a funny noise, drinks deep, winces. "I should go back to work," she says, her voice coming from a million miles away.

"Je-sus," Toombs says. "All I wanna do tonight is eat this good food and then drink myself to sleep. Not up to any more guard duty. It'll keep." He grabs the bottle, leans over Nara, pours Jack another generous shot. "Take your shoes off, darlin.'" he says. "Get comfy."

Very slowly, she complies. I help myself to more lamb.

"You should eat more," Nara says. "Jack, I'm sorry. I've been where you are. Aereon showed me what they did to my home. But we don't have time for weakness." She hands Toombs Jack's shoes. He shoves them under his chair. Don't much like that.

Jack's shivering. I unfold the ice giant cape, tuck it over her lap. She stares at my gloved hands while I do it. "They killed my family," she says. "I didn't – I didn't know that's what happened. I mean, I did. But I didn't understand." She takes a drink, flinches. Puts the cup down. "What the fuck is up with them?"

"We think it is part of their religion," Nara says. "They believe in a better world beyond." My head whips to her. I have heard those words before, in a dream, in a cave, where a brother and sister ended each other. "They believe they have a moral duty to help the rest of us get there."

"By killing children?" Jack asks. She picks up a fat green olive, eyes it suspiciously. Seems to come to some conclusion. "May I see the ships again?"

Toombs tosses her Nara's console, which is kinda a dick move all things considered. Still, she catches it, pulls up the recording again, mutes it, and enlarges it, ship by ship. She's looking for something. "Faster than light drives?"

"Yes," Nara says.

"My god. I didn't think you could put an FTL drive on things this big. So we know how fast they can go? Minos to Helios. . . " she taps the console rapidly. "Jesus. The whole fleet has to be going hundreds of times the speed of light. That's – that's crazy." Jack plays with the images, pulling up information screens I don't understand. Kids and their technology. She zooms in on something the satellites did not get a good shot of and blows it up so big it looks like a cloud. "Holy hell, that's a _city._"

"The Basilica," Nara says, taking another big drink out of her plastic cup, refills it with her tree flavored wine. "They scooped it down to the bedrock."

"And put an FTL drive on it. Do we know the planet?"

"Yeah, but there's nothing there. They firebombed it."

"What do they use for power?"

Nara made a rude noise. "Again, Aereon might know. I don't."

Jack finally eats the olive, plays the feed along slowly, ship by ship. "They're scavengers," she says. "I see old Earth Navy, Coalsack strike force boats, Imperial warships, Mercian civil defense, Colchis-," her voice cracks. "They paint them black and slap FTL drives on them, but I've only seen a few I don't recognize. That doesn't make sense." She's staring at a ship like she knows it. "Jesus. They've got tech I don't even understand."

"Huh?" I say. Hand her a piece of cheese. She takes it automatically.

"Look, the thing about FTL is that it's a power hog. Even a slow FTL drive – the ones we have - on a two man ship is gonna need a power plant about the size of the thing it's moving. A fast FTL drive on a big ship needs a power plant that's a whole lot bigger. But these ships don't have those sorts of power plants. They got the same size of engines you'd have for intrasystem travel." She rubs her eyes. "Jesus. Aereon told me that they made sure I was an engineer because they knew they'd need one. Maybe that was smart. If we could cut off their power supplies . . . " She finally puts the cheese in her mouth, plays the feed forward a little further, looking at the drop vehicles.

"Jesus," she says. "My family met them in the air. They were so much braver than me." She takes a bigger drink that she should given how high the whiskey content is in that glass and how close to dehydration she is. She's gonna be drunk soon. Maybe she is already. Maybe that's a mercy.

"People do what they have to do," Nara says, softly. "Your family were heroes. Good people."

Jack laughs. "God. I don't know. My mother – my sister – Yeah. Big damn heroes." She takes another drink. "Dead heroes. But my brother Dion – he wasn't very nice. To me." She takes a deep, breath. "God. He's been showing up in my nightmares too. I keep dreaming he's trying to-" her voice cracks off again. "To do bad things to me." She looks at me, really looks at me, her eyes wet. "I'm sorry," she says, with drunken sincerity. "You've been really nice. It's just that you kinda look like him, and I keep thinking he's right behind me. Killing my dog. Trying to drown me. Trying to - trying to drag me into the dark."

I sigh. Put an arm around her. "Not my plan, kid." She relaxes into me, bonelessly, like she used to. I get a fucking lump in my fucking throat. Maybe I should take Ice Bitch up on it . . .

"Your brother got killed by Necromongers?" Dhalgren asks.

"Yeah," Jack says.

"Did you see his body?"

"Jesus," she says. She straightens and pulls away from me. It does not make me happy. I glare at him. She keeps talking. "No. Mercer didn't go out and salvage the corpses or anything."

"Hey, Nara," Dhalgren don't take his eyes off me. "Didn't you tell me that the Necros are a zombie army? Made of the people they kill?"

Nara makes a funny noise. "Jesus. I don't think they're zombies. I think they recruit from the fallen-" She stops. Swallows. Smells scared. Looks at me like she knows me. ". . . Soldiers."

Toombs draws his gun. I got mine out too.


	29. Weapons

**Chapter 29: Weapons**

Toombs and I have our guns on each other from our comfy chairs, almost casually. Like we're just talkin'. Just with guns. Eve has her piece out, but ain't pointing it anywhere. Dhalgren hasn't pulled his. Weird.

"Everyone calm down," Nara says. "Cyrus, still I don't think you are a Necromonger. But I need to check."

No one moves. Cyrus. Right. That's me. Toombs has drunk too much; his aim ain't steady.

"Still?" Jack says, her voice seeming to come from a long way away.

"It crossed my mind, when he appeared so fortuitously. I dismissed it because Necromongers usually travel in force," Nara says, very fast. She's way more scared than the rest of us. "But I don't know what one might do for . . . family."

"How would you check?"

"There would be a mark on his neck," Nara says. "About the size of the tip of your index finger. A scar, under the ear. It would be under the collar of his sweater."

"May I?" Jack says to me. Toombs is pointing the gun at her now. Idiot.

"Yeah," I say. "Knock yourself out."

I feel her fingers on my neck, pulling down the sweater. It sends signals right down to my crotch. She looks at my neck. She licks her finger, and rubs. "Nothing on this side." She strains behind me to look at the other side. "Nothing here."

Nara exhales, slowly. "Cyrus, I'm sorry. But we just had to be sure."

Sure I wasn't a child killing monster. I feel my lips pull back against my teeth. The chances I'm gonna gut you just skyrocketed, lady.

"I wanna see," Toombs says. "Take off your fucking sweater and turn your fucking head."

"Put your fucking gun down," I say.

"Fuck you. Hey, al-Walid. Get away from him."

Jack doesn't move. "If he is my brother, and you shoot him," Jack says, with great drunken dignity, "I will find a way to end you."

"That's it." Toombs fishes out the control collar with his left hand. "I'd almost decided against making you wear this, darlin'. But you've got too much of a mouth on you. Dhal, you wanna do the honors again?"

Dhalgren blinks a few times, looks at me, gun still in my hand and murder now on my face. "Nah. Vengeance is for fuckers."

"Fuck you," Toombs says.

"In your dreams," Dhalgren shoots back. "Don't be a dick. We've got better things to do."

"You forget your brother already, goatfucker?"

"I've been thinking," Dhal says. "While I was cooking. We snatch her outta her comfy home, drag her around in the cold as bait for a monster. Monsters come out of the dark, snatch a couple of us into the cold. Maybe that's just fair, you know? I've been carrying around this hard on for this chick 'cause I miss him so fuckin' much, but you know, whatever. She didn't kill him."

"Jesus," Toombs says. "You notice how this asshole has a gun on me?"

"He's alright," Dhalgren says. "Bet he'll hardly kill you at all if you put the gun down."

I snort. "Hey, Jack," I say.

"Yeah?"

"He shoots me, you end him, 'k?"

She laughs. "You got it."

I lower the muzzle. Toombs drops his piece, starts laughing. "Jesus. You got the little girl to back you up. I'm quaking in my mother fucking boots."

"I'm gonna get dessert," Dhalgren says. "Don't anyone go anywhere."

Toombs shoves the gun away and swings the collar in his hand. He leers at Jack. "I think this is gonna look real good on you."

I feel my lips pull tight against my teeth, and it's all I can do not to bring the muzzle back up. "Jesus, children," Nara says. "Look, let's just drink these fine fruity beverages our man is bringing, watch some dumb vids, forget the looming ontological horror for a few hours, and get some sleep. We can talk about all this in the morning." Toombs scowls at her, but he shoves the collar back into its little bag. Dhalgren comes back bearing more plastic novelty tumblers and a blender full of strawberry daiquiris if my nose don't lie. He pours with a flourish.

He raises his glass. "To brothers."

I put my arm around Jack and give her a squeeze. "To the perfect psychofuck family that we are."

Toombs starts to laugh. He's laughing too hard to notice how stiff Jack goes under my arm.

* * *

The mercs want to watch some dumb talk show. They think it's hilarious. Even Nara's chuckling. Totally mystifies me as to why. But Jack falls asleep leaning against me, so there are some compensations. Especially after Nara stumbles off to bed, leaving us the whole couch. She turns off the lights as she goes, so the room's just lit by the screen. I gently maneuver Jack until her head's in my lap, and spread the ice giant cape over her. She protests weakly, but she's back asleep before she can really bitch about it. Toombs grins at me.

"Offer still stands," he says.

"Maybe tomorrow," I murmur. "I don't think she'll be a lot of fun tonight." But even as I say it, I'm way fuckin' tempted.

He seems about to give me shit, but he yawns instead. "Right." He gives her an almost cherishing look, which seems weird, given that he seems real hot to have me rape her. "Oh, I love this guy," he says, beaming the screen.

I look too. And fuck me, it's William mother-fucking Johns, walking down the aisle towards the so-very-gay host. On the screen. A dead guy. A guy I killed. Shit.

"Hello, Cleveland!" Johns yells. The crowd roars. Toombs laughs out loud. No idea why. I glare at the screen, and fuck me, Johns waves at me.

"Hey, killer!" He calls all cheery like.

"Hey!" Toombs calls back. "Ha-lah!"

Johns rolled his eyes. "Wasn't talkin' to you, dick face." He points at me. "But that guy—hey, is that our little transsexual all nestled against your crotch?"

I look down. Jack's long hair is spilling over my lap. She's snoring softly, her breasts rising and falling.

"Guess so," I say, lightly.

"What's up with that?"

"I'm an open minded kind of guy," I say.

"You guys all know each other?" Toombs asks, suddenly all suspicious like.

"Oh yeah, _Dick_ here and I go way back," Johns says with a smirk. I growl at him. "We went fishing not long ago. Got in a fight about the bait, though. Hey, look, it's the lady of the hour!" He stands up, clapping. The whole audience stands and applauds, and the Irritating Lady in White walks down the aisle. People are throwing flowers at her feet. She's kissing babies and shaking hands. Gay-host and Johns both kiss her right on the lips.

"Hello, everyone," she gushes. They clap and cheer like it's the best thing they've ever heard. "I'm so glad you could be here." She smiles at me. "Especially you."

I glare at her. "What the fuck do you want?" I say to her. The crowd boos me.

"Jesus," Toombs mutters. "Way to make enemies bro."

"Thank you, thank you," the Irritating Lady in White just keeps gushing, like I just said something fuckin' gracious. "I'm so glad you ask. I did do what I said I would. I made sure she grew up hale and happy, with a very useful skill." The crowd goes crazy clapping, like she did something worth clapping for. "The question is," she says, "are you, sir, man enough to keep your side of the deal?"

"Fuck you," I say. "I made no deal with you." The crowd hisses. It actually gets under my skin.

"Oh come on, Dick," Johns says. "That's exactly what you did, the moment you put your ass on the line for that girl."

"Wait, what girl?" Toombs goes. "That girl?" He points to the one in my lap. I look down. "Oh, fuck, dude, are you Riddick?"

I roll my eyes at him. "Of. Course. Not. Would Riddick wear this hat?" The crowd oohs and ahs like I just said something clever.

Toombs looks at me through narrow, piggy eyes. "Good point." The audience shrieks in delight. Annoying Lady in White covers her mouth politely.

"Mr. . . . Richards," she says, after she stops with the polite laughter. "One way or another, that woman's destiny is to be eaten by monsters. Wouldn't you rather it be you?" The crowd titters like she just said something dirty. "Let us review the tape, shall we?"

The screen does one of those stupid fade things and comes back up on Jack's little tower room with her soft bed. I slept in that bed. I slept in that bed with Jack. Fuck, why the hell did I ever leave her?

I stroke her hair. She cuddles to me.

I hear footsteps on the stairs. The door opens, and it's Jack. Not the Jack I knew. Not the Jack I am planning to know. The Jack she would have been when the mercs dragged her to Audhumla. The Jack I —

And there's a guy. I think I know him. I think I killed him.

They're laughing. Holding hands. She's wearing a stupid white dress with flowers in her hair. He's wearing a tux. Fuck, did Abu marry her off to some guy?

He kisses her, gently, carefully. She smiles at him. "Thank you," she says.

"I love you," he says.

The crowd goes "ahhh." I hate the crowd.

She kisses him.

"Well ain't that a thing," Toombs says. "Looks like the little Hyperion is gonna get lucky tonight!"

Hits me where this is going. I look for the remote. I don't see it.

Tux guy pulls her, gently, to the bed. She lets him do it.

He kisses her again; his fingers on her neck. She's kissing him back. She giggles. She's tipsy and happy.

He takes off his tux jacket. Then his tie. She's breathing heavily. He kisses her, lovingly. I hate him. I want to be him. He takes off his dress shirt. Stupid ruffles. He hangs his clothes neatly on a chair. He kisses her harder. "I love you," he says.

She giggles, looks down. Looks back up, eyes shining. "I love you."

His hands are on her breasts. He's pulling on her dress. She lets him take it off, and she's lying there, all young and beautiful; the girl I saved. The girl I walked away from. The girl I want so much it's killing me.

He kisses her again, his hands inching down. I need that goddamn remote. He turns off the light.

They're on the bed, taking off their clothes. They're both shy. But he's got his pants off and his cock out, and he's panting with want. She's got a weird look on her face, like she doesn't know where to go, but she's got her hands on him and her legs apart and I'm so hard I'm going out of my mind.

The boy don't know what to do to get her off; there's that, at least. He thrusts into her clumsily way before she's ready for him. She makes a long shuddering sound that I know is pain. He freezes. "I'm sorry," he whispers.

"It's okay," she says. "Just – just go slow."

"Abu's gonna kill me," he whispers.

She laughs. "He's not what you have to worry about," she says. True that.

He thrusts in again, and I feel it, I want to be doing it so bad. The camera pulls back. Shows the west window. There's a shadow.

It's me. I'm staring at them. The audience responds. _Fuck. _I remember this dream. I climbed up that oak tree and I came through that window-

"Oh, he's gonna get it now!" Toombs crows. I finally remember that Jack was using the console to control the TV. I grab for it. Jack wakes up. She looks up at me, then focuses on the screen. Shit.

I start pushing buttons. Get a menu up, but you can still see their bodies underneath.

"Don't look," I whisper to the girl in my lap. She looks up at me, confused, then looks back at the screen.

Toombs giggles. "Hell, I can't take my eyes off of it. How could you expect her to look away?"

I see myself come through the window, a shadow against the dark. I'm gonna break that boy's neck; I'm gonna throw his dead body off of her, I'm gonna take his place, I'm gonna come like a supernova when she says my name. I get the channel changed just as I rise up behind him.

"Fuck!" Toombs yells, slapping his knee. "That was the best part."

The Necromonger ships stream across the screen. "What happened next?" Jack says, her voice childish.

Toombs giggles. I look at him, and fuck me, he's got his dick in his hand and he's jacking off. He's looking at her. She doesn't know. I should kill him. I really should. But I can't bear to move.

He says, triumphantly, stroking himself "Riddick comes through the window, he breaks that fucker's neck, and he takes his place. Fucks that girl while she slaps at him. She figures out who he is just as he cums." Toombs sighs, happily, and I think he's cumming, but I ain't looking. "Love that."

Jack strains up to look at him. "Did that happen?" she asks him.

"No." I say, flatly. Watch Necros kill children. It's better than watching myself rape the girl in my lap.

The screen flickers, and we're in the car again, Ice Bitch driving, me sitting beside her, Young Jack in the back seat studying. Ice Bitch looks right at me. "Do we need to rewind?"

"No," I grind out.

She smiles sweetly. "Ms. Parnell, what do you think?"

Both Jacks look at her. "What?" Young Jack says. Jack-in-my-lap takes a deep, scared breath. I put one hand over her mouth, gently, the other over her side, pinning her. "Shhhh," I say.

"Mr. . . Richards," Ice Bitch says. "As I recall, I offered you a deal. Give the girl a chance to become who she was. In return, you do what you were born to do."

"I made no deal with you." Jack's started to struggle to sit up. I still want to fuck her. Having her squirming in my lap ain't helping.

"So should we have fed her to monsters?" Ice Bitch says. "We still can. When we're done here."

"Fuck you," I say. "You think I'll let that happen?"

"Do you think you'll have a choice?" Ice Bitch says, "when the lights go out?"

I jerk awake. Video ended, and the screen just went dark. Think that might have woken me up. That or the raging hard on I've got. I think about jerking one out, but I can't figure out how to do it without waking up the girl in my lap. The girl I wanna fuck so much it's beginning to mess with me. Give me crazy dreams. Makes me wanna do stupid things.

I count the sleeping bodies. All mercs accounted for and sleeping the sleep of the deeply drunk. I blink into the darkness. Fuck it, everyone's dead asleep. I take out the god damn contacts, and glorious sight returns to me.

I move carefully, shift Jack so she's lying on the couch. She makes a small sound, like she's gonna wake up. I lean over her. "Shhhh . . ." I say, very softly. "I'll be back. I promise." I press my lips to her forehead, avoiding the bruise Toombs gave her. She relaxes back into sleep.

I step over the lady merc and out the room. Head to my ship. If it's ready, I'm goin' back there; I'm killing the mercs, and I'm taking Jack outta here even if she does give me shit about Necromongers later. We could be a million miles away before Nara wakes up and calls it in. Maybe kill her too.

Only my fucking ship ain't ready. I make a fist and almost pound it on the wall. Check on the nanites. They all got redeployed on the power plant hours ago.

Fuck. It.

I eye Toombs's ship. Only it clearly ain't a merc ship; it's something sleek and modern with an FTL drive I don't know how to fly.

I rub my head. Cannot wait to shave off this fucking hair.

I think about it. Finally, write a note. "Gone to bed. Took the girl with me." Head back to our little psychofuck family love nest, leave the note on the table, gather up Jack. She wakes up a little when I lift her. "Shhh," I whisper. "Just gonna tuck you in."

She cuddles into me, seems to go back to sleep. When I start to lay her down on the bed, she mumbles my name, or something like it. I'd half intended to wrestle the nanites back, but that kills it.

"I'll be anyone you want me to be," I whisper back. Not true, but it seems to make her happy. I tuck her in. She smiles, sleepily, goes right back to sleep. I stare down at her until my heart slows down. Then I lock the door.

Room's got a private bath. I head into it, clean my arm good. That little cut I gave myself last week, twelve years ago, to show the girl I loved her is throbbing. Ice giants and dying doctors made sure of that.

She's dead asleep before I come back. I strip down to my skivvies and fold my clothes neatly on a chair. Think about undressing her. I want to. I really do.

I don't. If strip her, the chance that I don't fuck her tonight are itsy bitsy. And that would be wrong. I'm so fucking worked up right now, no way I could be nice about it.

But tomorrow is a new day.


	30. Balder and Nanna

**Chapter 30: Balder and Nanna**

She splashed across the shallow surf in a white summer dress, relishing the surge of the waves up her calves, the warmth of the sea and the sand under her bare feet. She laughed like the schoolgirl she never had been every time a wave surging high enough to make her hoist the heavy picnic basket up higher.

Riddick paced her on the dry sands. His combat boots left deep footprints. He was dressed for war. So was her brother. So was her sister. Riddick held a curved knife in his left hand that, when she wasn't looking at it directly, looked as big as the ocean, and he was wearing Richards' ridiculous orange hat. Balder was dancing at his feet.

Her dead brother Dion walked ahead. As a concession, perhaps, to the festive nature of the beach, he'd slung a black picnic blanket over one shoulder. It flapped behind him like a flag. "It's all about power," he called back to her with a death head grin.

"It's all about power," Riddick echoed. A long, straight piece of driftwood materialized in his hand. He flung it far into the waves and Balder shot after it, drenching her with the splashing sea. She laughed. Riddick's goggled gaze seemed to play over her body in a way she was sure it never had. He grinned at her, also in a way he never had. "That, and picking your spot."

Radne paced their brother. Like him, she dressed for night combat. She was carrying a gun that could take down a fighter plane and she left no footprints. "It's all about power, little sister," she said quietly, only to her. She aimed her sidearm at a bouncing volleyball. The players shrieked with laughter.

_It's all about power, _Jack thought. She woke up abruptly. Blinked into the darkness. Felt the rare heaviness of an arm around her waist and the heat of another person's body at her back.

She laid there, thoughts swirling. _Balor. Abu. Toombs. Necromongers. _She shuddered. _Wiring. Right. I was engaged in heroic acts of rewiring . . ._

_I drank too much. _There was an urgency in her bladder and an ache in her head to back that up. Toombs had poured whiskey into her water glass. A lot of whiskey. _Yeah, but you drank it, silly girl._

_Getting drunk made sense at the time._

_Right. Because you should drink heavily after a head wound._

The memory of someone's lips on her forehead. Of someone's arms around her. Of kissing someone who loved her. More than kissing. Suddenly she missed Yunas so much it hurt.

She couldn't have kissed him last night. He was billions of miles away and married to another woman. _Why the fuck did I break up with him? I loved him. He loved me._

_And Abu might have thought twice about sending Angela Hyperion's daughter-in-law into the dark._

It hit her hard. _That's why I had to break up with him. Because I would have been using his family to protect myself from monsters. _Her eyes prickled with tears and she forcibly derailed that line of thought.

_Richards. That's who I'm in bed with. The guy who's probably not my dead brother._

_Who might not be dead._

_And who almost certainly probably can't be Riddick. He hated hair. And his eyes weren't brown._

_Not like anyone ever grew their hair out. Or put in contacts._

_Did we have sex? _She shifted slightly. Her bladder responded with enthusiasm. She raised her head from the pillow, looked around. There was a vague light source, not too far. She slipped out from under the heavy arm, pulled herself out of the warm bed into the cold. She was still wearing the green dress and the tangle cord was still tying her legs together. _Probably not. _When she stood up, she almost went down from the pain in her ankles. She gritted her teeth and shuffled towards the light. As she hoped, there was a door, and through it, a bathroom, dimly lit by a tiny light.

She peed for a long time, trying not to lose the dim fragments of the dream. It seemed important. There was a fairly clean looking glass on the counter. She drank several glasses of water. The ache in her head and feet eased.

_How long have I been asleep? _She couldn't see any clocks.

She picked up the trailing edge of the tangle cord and coiled it around her hand, to minimize the noise it made. Moving as quietly as she could, she went back into the bedroom. With the light behind her, it was very hard to see, but she could hear Richards' steady breathing. She felt along the wall until she found the doorknob. Tried it. It didn't move. She felt for a lock.

"Leavin' so soon, love?" someone whispered into her ear. Richards. He'd gotten out of bed and come behind her so softly she hadn't heard him. Something deep within her responded. _Maybe we did fuck, _she thought. His hand ghosted down her arm, coming to rest on the tangle cord coiled in her hand. "Lemme help you with that."

"Toombs will be mad," she said, uncertainly.

He chuckled, low. "Don't worry about it." He led her through the cold of the room to the bed. His giant fur cape was spread over the bed, nearly glowing in the darkness. They'd slept under it together. She wasn't sure how she felt about that.

He sat her down on the fur. He turned on a lamp and a soft, warm light played around the room. Played across his nearly naked body. Her breath caught. _He's gorgeous. Except for that frelling silly hair._

His skin was gold, poured over muscles that were stunning. Huge shoulders; a heavily muscled chest; a nearly flat stomach; a runner's thighs. He was almost naked, except for underwear. Her eyes lingered there an instant and she could see him responding to her gaze. She blushed and looked away. Her eyes fell on his clothes, folded neatly on a chair, with his ridiculous orange hat set precisely on top. The hat Riddick wore in her dream. He chuckled, drawing her eyes up to his brown ones. He knelt in front of her, his ridiculous hair tickling her thighs as he bent low over her ankles, examining the cord. His hands were tender on her feet.

He ran his fingers over the bruises circling her ankles. "Do they hurt?" he asked. His voice was compassionate.

"Ache," she said. "Like I dislocated the joint a while ago."

His eyes went up to hers. "You know what that feels like." It was not quite a question.

_Riddick would know that, _she thought. _He did that too me. Again and again. _"Yeah," she said. His brown eyes bored into hers, then he lowered his head again, playing with the cord. There was something impossibly sensuous about his hands, the feel of him reaching between her legs, the heat of his body. She wanted to touch him. She put her hands on his shoulders. She rubbed them cautiously. "I feel like-" she stopped. Started again "Did we have sex?" she asked, her voice small.

His eyes flickered up to hers again. He was easing the tangle off one ankle. "No," he said. One hand moved slowly up her inner calf, up her thigh, stopping too soon. She groaned. "I was a perfect fucking gentleman." He rose up on his knees until their faces were so close that his ridiculous beard tickled. "Last night." She let her hands slip from his shoulders, slide down his arms.

She was breathing fast. "Do you want to?" she heard herself say.

"Yes," he said, his voice low and rough. One hand slid around her waist, the other cupped the back of her neck. He drew her to him and kissed her hungrily.

Her body responded to him; tendrils of electricity lashing through her almost painfully. She put her arms and legs around him and pulled him even closer. After an eternity, she pulled back. "This can't – this can't mean anything. Just – just some fun before what's coming comes. You understand that, right?"

He sighed, and the sigh sunk so low it seemed to go into the earth. The hand on the back of her neck slid down her spine carefully, like he was working out exactly how much pressure to use. He withdrew slightly, thoughtfully. One hand cupped her breast, over her clothes. She looked down at the fingers, the perfect forearm –

The wicked red cut down the arm, precisely where Riddick had cut his arm the last morning they were together. Hers had healed to a demure scar. His was raw. It had bled within the day, she was sure of it. She hovered her fingers above it. "What happened?" she asked.

He pressed her fingers into the wound, even though it had to have hurt. "Cut myself a while back. Keep reopening it."

She rolled her arm over, so he could see her scar, long and long healed. She knew her eyes were childishly big. "How – how long ago?"

His head dipped down languorously. He cradled her arm, kissed her scar. The way Riddick had kissed her arm before he cut her, their last morning together. The memory was almost physical; him sitting on the bed, his legs apart and around her, the way her legs were apart and around him now. Her whole body went goose bumps, and not just from the cold.

He seemed to notice. His other arm slipped back around her. Trapping her. She looked up and there was a longing burning in those eyes that she wished she had not seen. "Long ago," he whispered. "And far away."

"Jesus," she whispered. He was lifting up her dress, carefully, gently. Without thinking, she rose up to let him. _Because I always did what Riddick wanted? I was willing to let him fuck me, that last morning . . . _His hands on her thighs, her hips, under her arms, felt impossibly good. He set the dress aside with exquisite care. "Where?" He unclasped her bra and kissed her breasts with increasing intensity. It felt like nothing she'd ever felt before. "Where?" she managed, slightly louder.

He groaned. Lifted his lips from her left breast. A rope of saliva arcing down to her breast made him look like a wolf salivating. He rose up on his haunches, maneuvered her so she was lying on her back on the fur. "Little room." He stayed on his knees by the bed, caressing her, his hands smoothing towards her pelvis. "Under the stairs."

She put her hand on his cheek. "I'm sorry."

He stood, her clothes in his hands. He set them down on his own, out of reach. "I am _not_." He was gazing at her like she was beautiful. Like something he was starving for. She looked away.

_Jesus. It can't be Riddick. If this is Riddick, and he's kept cutting his arm where we did our little blood brother ritual, then he's seriously fucked. _She swallowed, her eyes drawn inexorably to the bulge in his underwear. _Seriously fucked, and they're gonna give me to him. _He took her hand and pressed it to him. Used it to rub himself. He smiled at her, and her insides cramped, painfully, wonderfully.

_This might be the last fun thing I get to do, _she thought. _Either way._

He reached for the necklace she almost never took off; the bone shiv on the leather cord that the vegetarian in her felt guilty for wearing. He took it gently, reverently, laid it next to the lamp. "No more talking," he whispered. He started to lower his own underwear.

Someone started banging on the door.

With a sigh, Richards pulled himself away from her, strode across the room, jerked the door open a crack. A knife seemed to materialize in his hand, flat against the wall. "What?"

Toombs was there, glaring. "You got the girl?"

"Yes."

"Lemme see." Richards opened the door a bit more, shifting the knife so it glinted in the darkness. Toombs stuck his head under Richards' arm. Jack tried to cover herself with her arms, flushing. Toombs glared at her, then broke into a big, shit eating grin. "Alright then. I'll give you two ten minutes, then it's breakfast time, alright?" I'll be waiting right here. He pulled his head back.

Richards slammed the door, locked it. Turned back to her. She stood up, reached for her dress. He was across the room in an instant, his body pressed against her intimately. Controllingly. The knife seemed to have vanished. "Watcha doin'?"

"Time to go to work," she said.

He ran his hands down her bare sides, then up again. "We got time."

"He's right outside," she said, shortly.

"I don't mind."

"I do." Her eyes went down to the wound on his arm. _It can't be. Just a wacky coincidence. _"Look, it would have been fun, but I'm really not interested in putting on a show for that guy. Kinda afraid he'll get – kinda afraid I'll get gang raped or something."

"Not on my watch," he breathed into her ear, darkly. His hands drifted down to her buttocks, squeezed them, started lowering her underwear. She gasped and tried to step back. He pressed forward. The back of her legs hit the bed, and she lost her balance. He caught her in an enormous embrace, guided her down inexorably to the white fur. He slipped her underwear down her legs, down around the tangle cord that was still wrapped around one ankle. He was kissing her hard, one hand between her legs, parting, probing, stroking, insinuating, promising. She was completely, wonderfully, terrifyingly, open to his hands. She heard herself groan.

He grinned at her, pulled his hand back. Sniffed his fingers deeply. "I dreamed about being inside of you," he whispered. He pulled up slightly, removed his own underwear. He took her hand, used it to stroke himself. She shivered. He lifted her arm and kissed her scar again. Then he was on the bed, kneeling between her legs. Running his hands up and down her naked body.

_You can't be Riddick. You'd have to be crazy._

His head was between her legs. His beard tickled; not unpleasant, but strange. His tongue touched deep and she gasped. He looked up and smiled at her. Dipped his head again, began kissing and stroking her, sending hot tendrils of pleasure curling through her. She gasped again, louder. Her hands sunk into his hair. That seemed to please him and the intensity of his onslaught increased. She heard herself groan.

_Having sex with him would be crazy._

_What am I gonna do, scream for Toombs to save me?_

_Oh, fuck, Toombs_. She tried to push his head away. He didn't seem to notice. "Stop," she whispered. "Stop," she said, louder, trying to twist away.

A massive hand grasped her hip; another pinned her belly. His head lifted. His lips were moist and his eyes were glazed over. "Mmmm?"

"I'm – I'm noisy when I – orgasm. I don't- I don't want Toombs to hear me."

Something very dark passed over his features, quickly stilled. He stretched out on top of her like the night. He kissed her, ravenously, one hand tangled in her hair, the other still between her legs, teasing. Her traitorous body was responding to him helplessly, hungrily. _He can't have been bleeding for twelve years. Thirteen. He can't. Nobody does that._

_Nobody sane._

_Can a man who kills the way he does be sane?_

_Who ever he is, he is gorgeous._

_Jesus. If he's not Riddick, he follows me, he's gonna get killed. They way he's looking at me, he's gonna follow me. I can't let that happen. _She took a deep shuddering breath, not sure what she was going to say. His lips were on hers, hard. "Don't-" she whispered into his mouth.

He rose up slightly. Put two fingers on her lips. Smiled at her lovingly. Ravenously. With just a hint of fury, banked deep behind those brown eyes. His voice lowered, below the pitch a human man should be able to go. "Don't you dare," he whispered, still smiling. Still ravenous. "Relax."

oOo

She's underneath me, panting for me. Terrified of me. It's seriously messing with my head. Seeing my arm freaked her out. I get that. I should explain. Can't get the words together. Have to wait. I can't. I grab my dick and it's so hard I nearly come. I rub it against her clit and she groans in a way that sounds like an invitation. I like that. I slide into her and she groans again. Lower. Animal like. There's a little bit of pain in that groan and a whole lot of pleasure. I like that even more. I thrust in hard, once, twice, three times. Her whole body jerks with it.

She closes her eyes and turns her head away. Don't like that. I force myself to slow down. Put two fingers on her clit and start rubbing it, hard. Her eyes fly open and fix on mine. I smile at her, goofily. It's fuckin' love. Or something. Manage to twist it into a grin.

She grabs my hand with her little fingers, shakes her head. "I don't want him to hear me," she says, again. She told me that. I can't remember why. "Toombs."

I frown at the other man's name. "Hear you what, Jack?" I say, low. In my real voice.

Her breath catches. "Hear me - orgasm," she says. "It turns some guys on. I don't – I don't want that."

Oh, he's turned on already. But she's not wrong. Lots of gangbangs start that way. I probably told her that, once upon a time. I'm a helpful sort. I put my hand over her mouth. Her eyes go big. "Relax," I purr. "This way we both get what we want." She gives me a wide-eyed, helpless look that I like a whole lot. Maybe too much. I keep stroking her clit hard and thrusting slowly until she's making glorious noises under my hand. One moment of silence. She clamps down on me hard. I force myself to stay still as she spasms. It's nirvana.

After a long time, she goes slack under me. I take my hand off her mouth. Slide it under her. Find the sweet spot. Arch her back just right. Feel her pulse thundering through me. So alive. I thrust hard and fast. Cum so hard I see stars.

I collapse on top of her. When I can move again, I kiss her, tenderly. For a long time, she just lays there, limp. Finally, she wraps her arms and legs around me and hugs me hard. Like she likes me. I groan and nuzzle the side of her face.

My thoughts are finally rearranging themselves into something rational. Jesus. Really wanted to fuck her. Didn't mean to fuck her with Toombs lurking outside the door. Didn't mean to fuck her while she was telling me not to. Sure as hell didn't mean to fuck her while she thought I was someone else.

"Who are you?" she whispers into my ear.

I groan. Well, huh. Kiss her ear gently. My knees are between her legs. I push them apart, just 'cause. Kiss down her neck, then back to her ear. "Shhhh. . ."

I lift myself off of her. She starts to sit up, but I put a hand on her chest, keep her down. Turn in the bed, let my hands drift down her body, down her breasts, down the curve of her belly. I can't stop myself; I let two fingers slip into her, and out, and again until they're slick, then tease her asshole with one finger. It's virgin tight. Oh, that will be fun. She gasps and tries to wriggle away. I back off, glide my hands down her legs to the cord around her ankle. It's easier to slip than the other one. Now she's really naked.

"Thank you," she says, her voice coming from far away. She sits up. This time I let her.

I turn, put my arms around her, bury my face in her hair. Whisper into her soft ear, only for her, "can you keep a secret?"

She swallows, convulsively. Shakes her head. "Not – not while Toombs has his little black case."

I grin. Girl is _smart. _I'd forgot all about those little truth drugs. I kiss her hard.

I let my lips drift down her jaw line, back to her jugular. Press my lips to it. _Fuck _I missed her. Can't believe I stayed away so long. Stupid. Well. Spilt milk. I run my fingers over her nipple, feel it harden against them. What don't I mind Toombs knowing I told her?

"I'm a guy who's bled for you," I murmur after a long time. She don't react. Don't like that. I push harder. "Made other people bleed for you." She stiffens in my arms. I like that. I like that a lot. "Killed that doctor so he didn't get his chance to cut you." I nuzzle her soft neck. She goes all goose bumps again. "Put my hand over his face and leaned down until he stopped breathing. For you." She tries to pull away. I tighten my grip. "Don't . . . tell."

That asshole starts banging on the door again.


	31. What Rolls Away from the Bhodi Tree

**Chapter 31: What Rolls Away from the Bhodi Tree **

Someone was banging on the door. Riddick – _Richards, _she told herself firmly – stood and strode across the cold room, opening the door a crack. The knife seemed to rematerialize in his hand. "What?"

"You done yet?" Toombs says. "How was she?"

Richards slammed the door shut. Gave her a grin. Was across the room in an instant, kissed her hard, started dressing. Toombs banged on the door again. Riddick - Richards - rolled his eyes, zipped his pants, headed back to the door. Jack stood unsteadily, wrapped the fur cape around herself, and edged toward the bathroom. He opened the door again. "What?"

"Breakfast time."

"Be right there. You jack off in the hall?" She closed the bathroom door and locked it, breathing hard.

"Maybe," Toombs said, his muffled voice smug. "Come on. I let you fuck her. You owe me."

She thought Toombs came into the bedroom. "Tight," Richards said, his voice dreamy. "Don't think she fucks much."

"Nice."

Jack closed her eyes, fighting a wave of nausea. Opened them. Saw herself in the mirror. Flushed. Bruised. Hair messed. Wrapped in a fur cape that suddenly disgusted her. She dropped it to the floor, shuddering.

_It's like he killed one of those things that tried to eat me on Audhumla and wrapped me in its skin. Who does that? _

_Riddick would do that. He'd probably think it was affectionate. _

"What happened to the chick?" Toombs said.

"I guess she wants to take a shower," the other man said.

"Jesus," Toombs said. "We got a schedule."

_Shower. Good idea. _She turned it on. It sputtered and spat out a cascade of rusty red water. She put her hand under the flow anyway. It was blood warm and bloody looking on her hand. As she watched, the water cleared. She stepped in. It was a small act of rebellion she suspected she would pay for, but there was no way she could face Toombs right now. Let alone the other guy. The one who had wrapped her in a dead monster's skin.

_He killed the doctor._

_He killed the doctor by putting his hand over the man's face. _

_Like he just did to me. _

She could feel his sperm sliding down her leg.

Someone was knocking at the door. "Jack. . ." Richards called.

"Out in a minute," she called, her voice artificially bright. There were bottles in the shower stall. One claimed to be shampoo. She began washing her hair vigorously.

She could hear Riddick – _Richards _– and Toombs talking, too low for her to hear the words. She put her head under the full force of the water, eyes closed.

_If it's Riddick, he's here for me. _

_Or it's some really wacky coincidence. Maybe there are monsters down in the lower levels. Maybe he's here to party. _

_Conditioner_? There was some. It smelled like sandalwood. She snorted at herself. _What the hell_. _Last bit of luxury._ She massaged it in, found some soap and started scrubbing the rest of her body hard while the conditioner did its work.

_If that was Riddick, he's freaking crazy. _

_No. If he's really obsessed enough to re-cut himself regularly, no fucking way he stayed away this long. _

_It can't be Riddick. He wouldn't watch people tie me up and hurt me. _

Her eyes hurt. Her sinuses hurt. She blew her nose hard.

_Riddick had a squick line about kids hurting. Now that I'm grown up, would he care? _

_Would he like to watch? _

It was all she could do not to go into fetal position.

_After seeing those videos, I'm committed to this. If he tried to take me out of here before I was done, I'd fight him. Maybe he knows that. _

_Would he care? _She really didn't think he would.

_He wanted me to enjoy having sex with him. That's a good thing. Right? _

_He wanted me to enjoy it more than he cared whether I changed my mind about it. _

_Better Riddick than Dion. Jesus. _

There was a sound at the door. "Just a sec," she called out, artificially bright. Someone was playing with the locking mechanism.

_If it's really Riddick, why is he trying to keep it a secret from me? _

One sob escaped. The door opened. Someone came in, put something that clanked on the counter, closed the door behind him. _Shit. _She started to rinse her hair, trying not to panic.

He came close enough that she could see him. It was Riddick – _Richards._ "Brought you your clothes," he said.

"Thanks," she said. "Sorry to steal your monster ski – your fur cape."

"Don't worry about it. It looks good on you."

"Where'dya get it?"

"Made it."

"You must be good with your hands," she said. Blushed beet red.

He chuckled, low and appreciative. "Got my talents."

"You kill the prior owner?"

"Seemed the thing to do." He sat on the counter, seemed to be putting his boots on. She relaxed slightly. "Told Toombs I'd keep an eye on you."

"Oh good," she said, shortly. "There might be shower monsters." He snorted. She busied herself with rinsing, very aware he could see the outline of her body through the glass. Watching her.

He rumbled something. "What?" she said, despite herself.

"Beautiful," he said, his voice low. He stood and for an instant she thought he was coming in. Instead, a fan turned on. _How thoughtful. _

"Thanks," she said. "Just what every kidnapped woman wants to hear."

He chuckled. "I'll remember that if I ever have to kidnap one."

She laughed, a biting, bitter sound. "Don't kid yourself. You're complicit with these assholes."

He came very close to the shower door, casting his shadow over her body. "Something hit my ship." He said, his voice so low it seemed to come from the floor. "Won't keep atmo. Nara said she'd pay me well, fix my ship if I helped her transport stuff from Audhumla. Patched it good enough for cargo. Once it's fixed good enough for people, I'm outta here."

_Would Riddick leave?_

_Would Riddick leave me again? _

"I was on Audhumla, once," she said. "That was the first time someone kidnapped me. Second time something tried to eat me."

He put his hands on the shower door, leaned in close. Breathed the words, "sorry, kid."

"It couldn't possibly be your fault," she said. She shut off the water. Tried to open the door. For a long moment, she thought he wasn't going to let her out. Finally, he stepped back. "So you're not gonna help us save the universe from monsters?" she said archly as she opened the door.

His eyes played appreciatively over her naked body. His voice went up nearly an octave. "Thought you wanted me out of here." He reached into the stall, lifted her out effortlessly. She reached for a towel. He intercepted her hand, kissed it lovingly, took the towel and started drying her. "Thought you didn't want me to tussle with Rid-dick." He pronounced the name with great satisfaction. "Thought it'd get me killed. Thought you don't want that."

She grabbed for the towel. "I can do it myself," she snapped.

"I wanna. . . help you," he said, his voice low again. He circled behind her, started drying her hair. She took half a step forward, but he stopped her with an enormous arm around her waist.

"If you yell, Toombs'll bust in here." His hands were gentle, loving. "He's probably jerking off on our bed just now. Bet he'd love to . . . help you." He was rubbing her neck with the towel, his fingers distinct behind the fabric.

_Our bed. _She swallowed. _Jesus. Do I want him to be Riddick or not? _

"Killed monsters on Audhumla," he whispered into her ear, sending goose bumps down her body. "Killed them. Skinned them. Shared their flesh with the wolves."

"Jesus," she whispered. "Why?"

He moved down to her chest, drying the undersides of her breasts like he was entitled to. "Attacked me."

She almost sagged in relief. "Self defense. Not a bad thing."

He sighed. "My fault. I was on their turf." He rubbed his hand down her front, found a spot below her breast, pressed his fingers in almost hard enough to hurt. "Slipped the knife in here." The cut on his arm was raw and red in the unkindly bright lights. He slid the hand up her front, over her breast, over her throat, to press on her eyelid with exquisite gentleness. "And here." _It's like he's bragging. Like he wants me to be impressed. Why would a man that gorgeous want me to be impressed with him? _His voice was almost regretful. "They were beautiful. Seemed a shame to waste what was left. Took what I could." His hand slid down to her breast again. He pulled her back into him. She could feel his erection through the fabric. Her heart started hammering hard. He made a low, pleased sound, started drying her again.

"And the wolves?" she asked, feeling inane.

He took her question seriously. "They let us past. Wanted to pay them back."

"How civic minded of you."

He chuckled, low. "I pay my debts."

"It's good to have a code," she said. He stopped dead. Like the words meant something to him. She tried to shift her weight away from him. He did not let her, but he lifted her right arm, dried underneath it, then moved to her left, his hands still gentle, but not nearly as loving. "What do you want from me?" she heard herself ask.

He seemed to think about the question. "Haven't . . . thought . . . that far ahead," he whispered into her ear. She wished he wasn't behind her so she could see his face. The towel kept moving lower, was between her legs, gently intrusive. His voice went low again. Like he was asking something important. "Do you have a code?"

"Yeah."

"Spill."

"Be good. Save puppies. Be worth . . ." She hesitated. Then she rushed forward. "Be worth dying for."

He made a noise back in throat. Like he was pleased. No. Like he was _delighted. _Without breaking contact with her body, he circled, knelt down in front of her. Gazed up rapturously. He dried her thighs, her left calf lovingly. Lifted her foot, dried it gently. Kissed the instep. She almost went backwards. He wrapped an arm around her, steadying her. Reminding her of how fucking big he was. Reminding her of how overwhelming he was. Reminding her how much control over her he had.

He put her foot down, started drying her right calf, his hair falling around her lower legs. She lost the battle with tears. One fell on his head. He looked up. "Oh, Jack . . . " he whispered. He actually sounded stricken. She put her hands on his head, dug her fingers into his hair, seeking out the scalp . . .

Toombs banged on the door behind them. "You two done yet?"

"Not quite," Richards called out, rising. Toombs flung open the door, leered at them. "Well, la-ti-dah." He stopped. "Oh. Figured you'd be fucking again. Thought I might get a show." He craned his neck around Richards. "Jesus. What's wrong with you, kid? That fucker rough you up?"

"Your concern is touching," she said. She grabbed for her clothes, yanking the dress over her naked body. Richards was between her and Toombs, so tense that she relented. "No. He was nice to me. I'm just -" She swallowed. "I'm just a little . . . freaked out." Richards reached back blindly, grabbed her hand and squeezed. "I had a good life. You took me away from it. Almost forgot how terrifying the rest of my life is going to be. Then I remembered. But hell. Time to go fight the Necromongers, right?"

"Huh," Toombs said. "I guess. I covered for you two fuckers for quite a while. Time for breakfast."

* * *

Riddick – Richards – who ever he was - pulled her, gently but inexorably, towards the bedroom. She let him. He scooped up the fur as they went.

He sat her down on the bed again, caressed her face lovingly. He fetched her shoes and, to her surprise, a clean pair of socks. She thought he was going to put them on her feet, but he backed off, let her do it.

With her head down, it hit her. _Abu's message chip. Keyed to Riddick's DNA. If I hadn't just washed it all down the drain, I could have figured this out. _

She slotted her eyes toward him. His gaze was on her, steady and shielded, but with something smoldering deep inside. _Looks like he's willing to give me another sample. _

_Jesus. Do I want to know if he doesn't want to tell me? _She met his gaze. He licked his lips. Toombs snorted. She bent back over her feet.

_Knowledge is power . . . _

_Do I want power over a guy who can kill me seventy eight different ways without breaking a sweat? _

She kept her head down.

* * *

Toombs brought Jack her shoes. Nara donated a pair of clean socks and an ugly sweater. He lets her put it all on and don't give her any shit about restraints, though he makes a big show of returning the tangle cord to his utility belt in front of us.

She darted to the bathroom so fast she didn't grab her shiv. I pocket it. Her eyes are on me while I do it, but she don't say anything.

They're walking in front of me. He's holding her elbow. I don't much like it, but I forebear. She needs time.

I might need some myself. Didn't expect to lose it like that with her. Kinda suspected I'd fuck her and this weird hold she's got over me would fade away. Sure didn't expect it to tie us tighter.

Tie me tighter.

Not so sure about her. I fuck her, I make sure she likes it, and she locks herself in the bathroom for a good cry? What's up with that?

Grunt at myself. She changed her mind about fucking me as soon as she knew Toombs would be listenin'. Or maybe as soon as she started thinking I might be the type of man who'd keep cutting himself outta the memory of a little girl I used to know. I knew that, and I pulled her down and fucked her anyway. There's a name for men who do that.

I feel bad about that.

I wanna do it again real soon.

Blows me away that she remembers what I told her. _Be worth dying for. _That she says it's her code.

Unless she's playin' me.

Dhalgren made waffles with some sort of fruit topping. Side of bacon for us meat eaters; something yellow and mushy looking for her. She thanks him for it like she's honestly touched that he made the effort. He smiles like he's honestly happy about it. They waited to eat until we got there, like we're family or something. Weirdos.

I sit next to Jack, of course. Squeeze her knee under the table. She puts her hand on top of mine, and I feel something in me unclench just a bit. Just like I did in the car after she smiled –

-No. That was a dream. I did not rape Jack in her little tower room; I did not kill her boyfriend; Ice Bitch did not take us for a drive afterwards. I did not make a deal with an Elemental that Jack got to finish growing up, monster free. I did not.

I pick up some bacon with my fingers. I forgot my gorram gloves. Shit. I'll have to go get them. I chew, grimly. Jack pours herself some coffee, stirs in some sugar, drinks it down. My little Jack. All grown up with coffee preferences.

I swallow. Dhalgren's pretty good at bacon. "So, Nara," I say. "Checked my ship last night. All the nanites went off duty."

"What? Oh, yes," she says. "I must have redeployed them."

I grunt. "You promised to get my ship fixed before your boss got here," I say. It's a real struggle to say it nice.

She frowns at me. "Mr. Richards – Cyrus – I thought it was more important to get this place up and running."

"We've got room for you if we gotta scoot," Toombs says. "Never fear. We wouldn't leave _you_ behind."

He's grinning at me like we've got a secret. Like anyone at this table don't know that Jack and I just fucked. Okay. Maybe Nara don't. "Yay." I say. "But a man likes to have his own ship workin.' We've got a deal."

Jack's eating mechanically. She stops and flexes her fingers like they hurt from gripping the fork. I look down. The bruises don't look good. She sees me looking and hides her hands under the table. I rock back.

"I will reassign some of the nanites," Nara says, clipped and not happy with me. "To get your ship operational."

"When?"

"After breakfast," she says.

I rub my knuckles along the outside of Jack's thigh, wishin' her dress weren't so long so I could get my hands on her skin without making a scene. She squeezes my hand with hers. I pull her little hand into the inside of my leg, as near my crotch as I can get without pulling her into my lap. Want her to know we ain't done yet. Not sure she gets that.

Jack clears her throat. "This was a military base," she says.

"Yes."

"The Balor schematics were a little vague. We're underground?"

Nara looks at her all surprised. "Well, yes. Remember, dropping into the rift when you approached?"

"I didn't have a window seat. Also, I was unconscious," Jack says. Toombs and I both snort.

Nara rubs her eyes. "Right. Sorry. Here." She shoves a console at Jack. Jack starts playing with it. "I can load that information on one of yours if you like."

"I'd love that," she says. "I've lost track of them, though. They also need to be charged."

"Recharging them now," Eve says. How fucking helpful. She disappears for a few minutes; comes back with Jack's bag and a bottle of pain killers. "Dunno about you, but I got a hell of a headache this morning."

"Thank you," Jack says. "Yeah." She shakes out a few, swallows them with orange juice. She offers me the bottle. I shake my head. _I_ didn't drink too much last night.

_I_ didn't lose control until this morning. I rub my eyes.

Jack's got the two little computers talking to each other, and she's pulling up all sorts of information on the power systems.

"Good waffles," I grunt.

"Thanks," Dhal says. "Want some more?"

"Sure," I say.

"Me too," Toombs says. "And more bacon."

"I'm good," Eve says.

"How about you, Jack?" Dhal says. I give him a hard look from behind the stupid contacts. Not lovin' the idea of him bein' all friendly. His eyes are on her. He don't notice.

Jack's eyes go up to him, then down to her plate. "They're delicious. I didn't expect cherries here. Please."

Well, ain't we all homey.


	32. Breakfast and Access

**Chapter 32: Breakfast and Access **

Jack's lost herself in the computer. Her waffles are getting cold. Toombs started to get restless, but Nara gave him a look and he settled down, started makin' fun of Dhalgren, who slings it right back at him. Finally, Jack looks up and around. "The Balor engineers told me there was thermal power. I can't find the geological activity plat on this thing. Where would it be?"

Nara looks blank. "The what?"

"Something that would tell me where the geothermal activity is?"

"I don't think this planet has much."

Jack blinks a few times. Puts some waffle on her fork, chews it. "But the Colchis put in a geothermal tap?"

Nara hesitates. "That does seem weird."

"No. That seems stupid." Jack says flat. In her 'you're an idiot' voice. Haven't heard that in a while. My lips twitch. She rubs her eyes. Like she did as a little girl. Makes me feel funny. "This thing they've got marked as the thermal plant – it looks like a transfer station to me."

Nara shrugs. "The one five levels down? Yeah. The actual hook up point is much, much deeper."

"Where?"

Nara takes back her console. After a long time, she hands it back. "Here's the Balor report and my notes from the one time we went there. It's a beast to get to, and we didn't find anything useful."

Jack takes back the console, types a few things, gets a weird look on her face, types some more. I finish my waffle. Start on hers. She don't say anything. After a long time, Nara pipes up. "What are you thinking, Jack?"

Jack shakes her head. "I'm not sure yet. I can't get the power curves to work. I'd like to see the thermal plant. The deep down one."

Nara shakes her head. "We had to bring in a special team with technical climbing skills," Nara says. "I can try to get us one, but it'll be a while."

"I got technical climbing skills," I say. "I could take her." Everyone looks at me. "What?"

"Even with those guys, it took three days," Nara says, like it wasn't any fun. "Four hours down. Fifteen hours of work. A night's sleep. Almost two hard days back. Let's deal with it later, okay?"

"We don't have lifters?"

"There's a dampening field down there. We couldn't figure out how to turn it off."

"There's power for that?"

"Apparently."

"Where from?"

"I assume the thermal plant."

"That doesn't make sense. If there's that much power, this place should be humming."

"I am really fucking tired," Toombs says, "of this coded conversation you two are having. What. The. Fuck."

Jack looks at him. "Look. Riddle me this, little Wolverine. Why sink thermal power lines into a planet that has very little thermal energy? There's a dozen things you could do cheaper to get power. So . . .what were they doing?"

"Ain't it your job to figure out?" Toombs looked at Nara meaningful. "You two lovely ladies, I mean?"

"I'm an archeologist, not an engineer," Nara says.

Jack rolls her eyes. "How long were the Balor people here?"

"On and off for the last seven years. Probably three years total."

Jack rubs her eyes again. "And they never questioned this?"

"They mostly spent their time clearing rubble. And bodies. This place was wrecked."

"Hurm," Jack says. "I need to think about this."

"In the meantime," Nara says, "I'd like you to go back to work on the control room." Jack's eyes slide to her like she's not entirely happy about it.

Still got her shiv. Think about that. Slip it out of my pocket. Slip it into hers. Feel around, since I'm there. She's got something that feels like a big old style coin and a message chip that tingles under my hand. Like it wants to be with me. Hm.

"I'll take her there," Toombs says, nicely. "Hey, Richards, wanna come?"

"I'll catch up," I say. "Need to help Nara get the nanites workin'. Like to help her unload my ship too." She gives me an annoyed look.

Toombs snickers. "Well, we won't do anything you wouldn't do."

Jack goes scarlet. Nara's brows knit. Then she gives me a mad look. Guess everyone knows now. Push away from the table. "Good food, Dhal." Give Jack's shoulders a squeeze.

She looks up at me. "Don't- don't leave without saying goodbye?" she says, sounding sad. Like she'd miss me. Or something.

I grin down at her. Drape my fur cape over her shoulders, give them another squeeze. Lean down, whisper into her ear loud enough for everyone to hear. "Oh yeah. Got something of mine. Be wanting it back."

* * *

_It's all about power, _Jack thought.

She'd finished replacing the Balor equipment in the control room with the stuff Nara and Riddick – _Richards _– had salvaged from Audhumla. She could almost feel the system coming back on line.

Almost.

With a sigh, she pulled up the power production and consumption readings. Every erg the solar power plant produced was being consumed. Same with the impossible geothermal tap.

"We need more power," she said, finally. "Maybe we can repair more of the solar array?"

Eve looked up from her console. "Talk to Nara. I've never been on the surface here."

"Hm," Jack said. "I'd like to check out the power transfer station down a few levels. Would – would you guys take me?"

Toombs and Eve exchanged a look. "Sure," Eve said, "but if this is just about power, we've got some extra power cells."

"Oh," Jack said after a moment. "_Oh_. That'd be _great."_

* * *

Watch Nara reprogram the nanites. She's mad, but she don't stint, she sends most of them my way. Then she stalks off, all full of mad.

I take a risk and don't go straight to the little room. Toombs seems pretty satisfied right now, and pretty sober. Figure he'll behave. Go back to the ship to check the work; move out some more of the salvage. Wait for Nara to come knocking. She had lecture face on.

I move three boxes from my ship to the cargo hold before she stomps up to the foot of the ramp and glares at me. I shrug at her, and she comes in.

She's got her back up, but she don't light into me right off. Instead, she hands me an envelope. I open it. "75,000 credits," she says, steadily. "Bearer's chips."

"Thank you kindly, ma'am," I say. Seems the thing to do. Man could live for years on 75,000 credits. Slip it into a pocket. Turn my back on her, head down to the cargo bay. She follows along. "You here to help me?"

"Mr. Richards, did you have sex with that poor girl last night?"

"No."

"Oh." She deflates. I pick up a box of memory chips. She goes to help, then thinks better of it and picks up a box of connectors. "Good. I had the sense from Derek that you took advantage of that poor girl."

I grunt. We walk down the cargo ramp together, stack the stuff, head back for more.

"But right, you were a soldier. You'd know not to do that."

"Do what?"

"Have sex with prisoners."

"She's not my prisoner." It comes out hot. It's in my real voice. Not that she would know that.

Nara takes a step back. "Do you think she's in a position to make that distinction?" I drag another box of Colchis shit down the ramp. She picks up some shit too, follows me. We repeat this a few times. Finally, she says, quietly, "I'm sorry. I thought – I thought you had taken advantage of that poor girl. I was going to tell you to leave as soon as your ship was done. Because I don't want anyone here who would take advantage of her." I snort. "Advantage of her in that way."

"Jesus, lady, she was kidnapped to do a job, and when she's done here, you all are gonna stake her out as monster bait."

She takes a long, deep, shuddering breath. "Yes. I will use her however I can to save the universe from the Necromongers."

"I wouldn't," I say, flatly. "That'd be wrong."

She gets this supercilious smile on her face. Like she knows what's wrong better than me.

I don't kill her. Because that'd be wrong too.

But I really fucking want to.

* * *

Dhalgren brought four fuel cells on a float sled and four pairs of insulated gloves. Between that and his cooking, she was beginning to like him. The three mercs helped her connect them to the room's power supply; not an easy project. It took hours. When they finished, the system greedily took up the power. No other particular response was apparent.

Jack sat at the table, feeling spent. "What now, boss?" Toombs asked.

"Down to the transfer room, I guess," Jack said, drumming on the table. Her fingers tingled in the heavy gloves.

"Lunch first," Toombs said, definitively. "Dhal, go get something started."

"Whatever, goatfucker," Dhalgren said, but he headed off humming to himself. Jack watched him go. She pulled out a scanner, did her best to trace, again, where the power from the fuel cells was going. More and more seemed to be going to the table itself. _Huh. _

She played the scanner over the table again, trying to get a sense of why it would take up power. It resisted her scans.

_Is the table the interface device? _

_Why no screens? _

_If I was designing an interface device I didn't want hacked, what would I do? _

_Limit access by something. _

_Aereon thought this system would recognize me as Colchis. How? _

_Genes. Jesus. Do I have to cut myself and bleed on the table? _

Once she thought it, it seemed dangerously plausible. She could almost see herself tied down spread eagled, Dion grinning at her over a long straight knife. _ "Childhood's end, little sister," _he'd said once. Or she dreamed he had. _Oh, that'd be great. I gotta get someone to do some sort of sacrifice scenario with me? Why the hell am I thinking of this? _

She snorted at herself. Pretty damn obvious, now that she came to think about it.

_Just 'cause you're having nightmares about your dead brother wanting to do bad things to you doesn't mean your people were into kinky shit, _she told herself. _What makes sense? _

_Genetic signature. _

_Which brings us back to blood. _

_Jesus. Why go straight to blood? You can get genes from a cheek swab. _

She had a sudden surreal image of her family sitting around with cotton swabs running a military base. _Cotton swabs. Just need a supply. That could be fooled. _

_What couldn't be? _

_Something connected. _

_Creepy. _She stared at the table. _I wonder. _She sat, took off the heavy gloves, and laid her hand on the table. The steel seemed to liquefy and catch at her hand, pulling it down into the table itself. It resolidified around her wrist. She jerked back, but it had her tight. It felt like a thousand tiny needles shot into her skin.

"Uh-" she said.

"What?" Toombs said. Her console disappeared into the table.

"Jesus," Eve said. "You okay, kid?"

"Not – not sure," she said. The tingling was running up her arm. Toombs came close, gave her arm a tug. When the first didn't dislodge her, he pulled hard enough to hurt. "Don't. Please. Don't." He stepped back and pulled a wicked looking knife. She shook her head frantically. "I think – I think it's just checking me out."

"Huh." He tapped the knife on the table. The table sucked it in. "Jesus! What the fuck?"

Eve pulled her gun. "What?"

"Fucking thing stole my knife!"

"I think it's waking up," Jack said. "I think it's testing things, to see if it's someone it can work with."

"Want my knife back," Toombs grumbled.

"I'll see what I can do," Jack said. The uncomfortable tingling spread up her arm. She swallowed, concentrated on her breathing.

Eve holstered her gun. "Should we call the doc?"

"Don't suppose she's a real doctor?" Jack asked, her voice sounding artificially bright in her own ears. The tingling intensified.

"Do you need one?" Eve answered, her voice carefully neutral.

The table ejected her hand, leaving thin silvery threads moving over her hands. Toombs grabbed her wrist. She let him. He rubbed at the silver with a gloved hand. Nothing happened. He grunted and peeled off a glove, poked her palm. He let go almost immediately. "Jesus. That tickles. What is that?"

"I'm not sure," Jack said. "I think – I think maybe it's a part of the interface device."

"Part?"

She flexed her fingers. "You see anything happening? Something's missing."

"Huh," Toombs said. He eyed the table with suspicion. Drummed his bare fingers on it. They sunk in to the first knuckle. He yanked them back. The table let them go.

"Doesn't like the way you taste?" Eve asked sardonically.

"Guess not. What makes you special, darling?"

"That's why she's here, Derek," Eve said, exasperated. "Remember? 'Last daughter of the fucking Colchis,' specially trained up to be the engineer Aereon wanted her to be?"

Jack closed her eyes. _Right. I almost forgot that. The last twelve years of my life, I've been manipulated so I could be doing this today. _

_If I do it, I'm a total tool. _

_So if I don't do it, what am I?_

* * *

We finish clearing out my ship without much more in the way of talking. I tell the lady I need a shower. She goes beet red and heads off. I lock my ship. Like I'm modest. Take out the goddamn contacts.

Think about the shower. Borson's shower is pretty sweet. But I can still smell Jack on my body. Like it there. Put off showering. Things go right, we can do it together soon. Do wash my hair. Can't wait to shave it off. Though I did like her fingers all tangled up in it . . .

Change clothes. Hang the old ones up neatly in Borson's closet. Using a pair of the dead man's shorts that won't fit me, I pull out the little tingly message chip I took from Jack's pocket, set it on Borson's desk. My desk.

Ask the computer to tell me what's what. It chirps that it is what I think it is; a message chip with a DNA lock. One way to know if it's my DNA. Scrape a few cells from my cheek with a shiv, poke the thing gingerly.

It unfolds like a flower into a flat screen, lights up bright enough to hurt. And there he is, lookin' older and fatter. "My friend," he says. Like I'm feelin' friendly. "We need you." Like I care. "The enemies of your people have become the enemies of mine." Like I have a people.

The screen flickers, shows a military fleet that just keeps on coming. Recognize it from the Ice-Bitch's little movie night. "My friend, I do not know if you know this, but you are a Furyan." A new planet shows up. Beautiful. Until the camera zooms in. Broken cities. Burned places. My insides cramp.

"The Necromongers destroyed your world. The men who destroyed your people are coming here." His face goes all twisty.

"Years ago, I was approached by the Elementals. They told me of a prophecy. It seemed to refer to you. They asked for information. And . . . for Jack."

The image flips to her, as a kid on a sports field, looking innocent. I wanna kill him and kill him and kill him all over again. "I made a deal, my friend. I told them what I knew of you in return for her safety. So long as they could find you, and you would help, she would be left here, safe. Protected. Loved."

I growl softly. _Really _want him to get to the fuckin' point. Hits me that maybe this message is supposed to go on and on to distract me, send out a signal that it's got my DNA. I turn the shields on. And as if to feed my suspicions, there's a new shot. Jack, maybe 16, dancing with some boy I think I killed in a dream. Totally random. Totally riveting.

"She's done very well." Shot of her graduatin' from something wearing a ridiculous yellow and orange robe. "She has been safe and loved and cared for. The Elementals believe she too has a role to play. They have groomed her for it."

The camera plays back at Jack, this time all grown up and beautiful and happy. Hit pause. Stare at her.

She was _happy. _

Hits me what he said. Groomed. You let assholes _groom_ her. Good people don't do that.

I woulda done that. Woulda tried. Woulda hated myself for it. Probably woulda gotten over it when she spread her legs for me.

I left her with a man who did do that.

Feel my lips hard against my teeth. Hit play. "If she plays her role, and you play yours, all may be well.

"So. There is a man. Even before he was the leader of the Necromongers, he tried to destroy your world." An image of a man I don't know but am willing to hate plays across the hologram. "He tried to destroy Jack's world. He will try to destroy ours.

"The Elementals believe that we may have been brought together to stop them. And they believe that there is something on Colchis that can be used to hurt them. Found by her, used by you."

He looks away from the screen. "We do not believe you will help us from the goodness of your heart. But I know you care for her." He looks straight through the screen at me. "If you will not help, she will be given to the heirs of Antonia Chillingsworth. I am told-" his voice cracks. "I am told they will inflict unimaginable cruelties on her. May we be forgiven."

Hit the pause button again. My hands are shaking. Glare at them until they go still. Not unimaginable. I know what they would do to that soft flesh.

It will not happen. I can give her that.

I can almost feel her neck snap under my hands. Almost feel the knife slide in.

My hands start shaking again.

Fuck that. Hit the play button.

"It was not my idea, but things sometimes get away from us . . ." he shakes himself. "It does not have to come to be. If you accept the call, go to the black fleet, and kill Zhylaw, you will receive five million credits, the protection of my government and the Elementals, a complete pardon. And . . . Jack."

The mercs said that, but that's just the sorta thing they say. Good men don't say that sort of thing. Good men don't give little girls to monsters.

Don't give people to monsters.

He is not a good man.

"By the time you receive this message, a control chip will have been installed in her brain. It will assure," his voice cracks again. "It will assure her cooperation. And the sincerity of our promise. To send her to her doom or to give her to you."

Who the _fuck_ are you to do that, old man?

It hits me hard. He's the man I gave her to.

He keeps talking. "I did my best to keep my promise to you. Whether I can is in your hands." Hit stop again. You promised to take care of her. You didn't. You turned her into bait. Turned her into meat. And you're trying to put it all on my head. Fuck you, old man.

An alarm sounds. Someone touched the shield. I feel my lips draw back against my teeth again. Pull up the screen, and it's the doctor and boy, is she pissed. I glare at her. Really not ready to get yelled at. Hit play one last time.

"All we know of the Necromongers is on this chip. Walk with God, old friend."

A menu pops up crammed full of grandiose subject lines. I ain't touching it. Poke the thing with my shiv until it folds back into a hard mass. Don't know what else to do with it so I shove it back into my pocket, put the contacts back in, and drop the shield. Doc musta been watchin'; she immediately starts banging on my ship. Open the hatch. She yells up. "Mr. Richards, I need you!" It echoes.

I stomp to the top of the ramp, glare down. "What?"

"We're cut off," she says, her voice cold, furious, and terrified. "Someone tripped the security system. We can't get out of the landing bay."

Meaning Jack's locked up with three mercs. Three mercs who have signed up to stake her out as monster bait.

I'm gonna kill Abu. Kill him slowly.


	33. Bovine Dreams

**Chapter 33: Bovine Dreams **

The silver threads spun around Jack's hands like rivers of frustrated mercury. _What the hell, _she thought. _You only live once. _She laid both hands on the table. Everything went white.

* * *

I run my hands over the blast doors. Rap on one gently. As thick as anything I've ever had to get through. Half a meter of steel if it's anything. I sigh, run a hand over my head.

"Can we cut through it?" the doc asks.

I give her a look. Yeah, that'd be smart. Unless the guys inside decided to lock us both out, Jack just woke up the automated defense systems. Take on automatic defense systems with my winning personality and some itty bitty gun. "Not with anything I got on me," I say. "No word from inside?"

She yanks out her communicator like it betrayed her. "Got a blip ten minutes ago, but it was scrambled. I thought it was a sensor artifact. Now I'm not so sure. Can't get anything in or out now."

"Hm," I say. "My ship's got some good communication tech. Maybe it can punch through." We go back into Borson's ship. I let Nara sit in the copilot's seat. Pretend I don't care Jack should be in that seat, and we should be winging our merry way out of here. Or she should be in my lap even if Fry mocks me with coco and peppermint schnapps. I can almost smell them.

No. Pretend it's not happening. That way lies madness. Hail the base.

My blip sinks into the ether like we're in deep space. Hurm. I hail the satellites. Nothing. Tell the ship to figure out a work around. One of the heads up displays starts blinking. I don't recognize it. Hit the control and a screen pops up. Tells me someone's been accessing my files.

Doc makes a funny noise. Serves her right for reading over my shoulder. "Hell," she says. Starts poking at her console. "Shit. This could be bad."

"Mm?" I say, levelly.

"I think who ever closed those doors didn't just access to your database, but _mine_." I roll my eyes. She keeps going. "If it's the Necromongers, they'll know what we know. Including the fact we haven't figured out anything to use against them. Fuck."

"Any particular reason to think it's the bad guys?"

"Any particular reason to think it's not?" she snaps. "Jesus. Who else would be here?"

Despite everything, it makes me smile. "You tell me."

"It's an interdicted world," she says. "No one would come here."

"Wouldn'ta stopped me. If there was someone – something - I wanted bad enough."

"Like a girl?" she snaps again.

Hits too close. I make myself grin at her. "If I liked her enough," I say. "If I thought she didn't wanna be here." It comes out before I can stop it. " Hell, lady, I'd rip open the fucking gates of hell if-" I cut it off. She looks at me, really looks at me. I don't like it. I change the subject. "Whatdya think they got?"

She blinks rapidly, looks away. "Everything."

* * *

The room was blinding white. It had been for an eternity.

Some of the whiteness seemed to darken, thicken, stand up. Become a person.

Become her sister.

"Radne?" she heard herself say.

The figure smiled. "Welcome home, little sister."

_It's not really her, _Jack thought, tears prickling. But the arms closed around her, and it felt real. She hadn't missed her sister for ten years, more, and yet she was sobbing in this simulacrum's arms. After another eternity, Jack pulled away. "I'm sorry. You're not – you're not really Radne . . . are you?"

The other woman smiled. "No. I am the Colchis computer, and I have established a neural connection. What you are a seeing is . . . call it a collective fantasy. But I knew your sister. She was one of us. It does not surprise me that your mind sees me as her."

_It's not Radne. Radne's dead. Shit. _"They said you might be sentient," Jack said, feeling like she was babbling. "Are you?"

"I was. Tell me when we finish if I can still pass the Turing Test."

Jack blinked rapidly. "Do you know why I'm here?"

"Do you?" White crows seemed to flap around them in the whiteness, like Radne's attention was divided and spreading. After too long, she continued. "They brought you here to fight the Necromongers." A frown creased her dark features. "Brought you here in chains."

"It's complicated."

"More than you know."

Jack took a deep breath, or something like it. "The Necromongers are coming. I am here to find out how to fight them."

Radne sighed, and it sounded like a memory. "Oh, little sister. . ." The whiteness thickened, darkened, and they were in space, seeming to walk among an enormous armada. "You want to fight the Necromongers? What did the Necromongers ever do to you?

"Don't you know? They killed - Radne. And Mom." Her mother seemed to be there, out of the corner of her eye. She couldn't look. "And Dion. " He was in front of her, grinning maliciously.

"Are you sure?"

Dion vanished. _No. I'm really not. _"They kill children," Jack said. "Smash worlds. I saw video."

Radne sighed again. "Oh, little sister." Jack felt small. She tried to pull back. Somehow, Radne's fingers were around her wrist, felt like they were spearing through her wrist. "We come from a long line of killers, you and I."

_I didn't want to know that. _"We're the good guys . . . aren't we?"

Radne shrugged elaborately. "Depends on who you ask."

"I'm trying – I'm trying to be a good person," Jack said. "I'm trying real hard."

Radne laughed, and let go of her hand. She gestured, and a yellow sun rose before them. "Dive the black fleet into one of these. That'd do it."

"Are they gonna let me do that?"

"Why not?" There was a long pause. "Thirty thousand warriors, knowing exactly what they were and wielding the best weapons could barely slow them down. You, three mercenaries, an archeologist, and a killer are going to fight the gathering dark?"

_Killer? _Jack shook her head. "No. I'm just here to learn what you know. There are other people who will do the heavy lifting."

"Is that what they told you?"

Jack swallowed. "There's a guy. They think he's some sort of prophesied hero or something. They think he can do it."

Radne's eyes seemed to flicker. The sun shrank into a green and blue planet so beautiful it made Jack's eyes hurt. They were on the ground, walking through the remains of houses, melting back into the land. "The Furyan. The killer. The one . . ." she seemed to be listening to something a long way off. "The one they plan to give you to." Shadows shifted. Riddick stepped out of one of those dying houses, a curved knife dripping in his hand and Richards' ice giant cape flapping over his shoulders. He grinned at her. Radne pulled her forward, past him, like he wasn't there.

"You know him?" Jack said.

"Who?" Radne looked around, seemed to see him for the first time. "Ah. The killer. You brought him, not me."

"Nifty." Riddick fell into step behind them, so close she could feel the heat of his body; so far it was breaking her heart. "Can you help us?"

"I am but a walking shadow," Radne said. She stopped abruptly at an enormous pit blasted into the landscape. "We thought there might be an answer, down there. That is why we came here." The landscape shifted, and they were back in the cold of Colchis, standing at the lip of the pit that Nara went down to the thermal tap. "It's all about power," she said, like she was quoting. "The Necromongers have it. They have it because Covu saw the Underverse. He thought he saw everything. And he brought something back."

Riddick made a noise, or maybe the land itself did. It rumbled through her and left her weak.

"Who's Covu?"

"The First. The founder. He loved deeply," Radne said. "Loved deeply and grieved deeply. He wanted to defeat death. Wanted to do what's best for the universe. And he created the Necromongers. His gift. Who are we to say he was wrong?"

"They kill," Jack said. "That's wrong."

Riddick grunted. "Now you tell me."

Radne shook her head. "Do you know how many have been killed so you and I could be standing here today? If the Necromongers win, that stops. Is that such a bad thing?"

"Whose side are you on anyway?" Jack asked.

Radne did not answer. She started to walk around the pit. Jack followed her. "Why did you - we - come here? What's down there?"

"Another door."

"Huh?"

"Another door. To the Underverse. The source of the Necromongers' power. Why the Elemental equations no longer balance."

"I don't get it."

"The Necromongers' power flows, in part, from another universe. If the connection could be cut, they'd be just another army." They seemed to be walking through a dance number, or a highly choreographed fight fought with long sticks and flashing lights. "The connection is through the flesh. Through the individual pledging his flesh, or through the death of one so pledged." Riddick killed a man, or seemed to, his ice giant cape flapping around him like satin. "That power does not stop because the Necromonger is killed. It just attaches to the killer. Unless you do it right."

The dance stopped. The bodies fell. Even Riddick's. _Some fantasy. Why am I imagining this? _"How?"

"With a weapon from that other world."

"How do I get one?"

"Jump."

"Won't that kill me?"

There was a noise. Riddick rose. Fury rolled off of him like fog. _Consensual fantasy. I get this one. I don't want him to want that. That's gotta be it. He's not really here. _

"There is a system to catch people like you and me," the computer said.

Riddick was there, big and hot. "Can he come?"

"I can do anything, kid," he rumbled. He licked his lips. She was back on the bed, Richards' hand on her, worshipfully, his weight, overwhelmingly, like she used to dream of Riddick's hands, Riddick's weight. She could see the instant of rage on his face when he raised his head from her thighs, quickly stilled. _Oh no. _ She shuddered and looked away.

Where there had been bodies, there were cows, peacefully grazing, in a sunlit pasture. _This is better. _

"This is complicated," Radne answered. She sat heavily on a bale of hay. "But death's not so bad."

Riddick stalked towards a knot of cows. They lined up and backed away from him. Jack shook her head. "Are you showing me this for a reason?"

Radne followed her gaze. "Oh." She reached a hand forward and it seemed to go through Jack's head. It prickled. "Oh, little sister. You are not ready for this. Not trained, not born. I am sorry. Know this. The Necromongers are not, necessarily, your enemy. They would welcome you back with open arms. And the Elementals would happily rip you apart to stop them."

"Are they right? Could – could Riddick – a Furyan - stop them?"

"An Underverse blade in a Furyan hand . . . could do damage." Radne's image flickered and for an absurd moment, seemed to turn into something that belonged in an eldritch ocean, its tentacles wrapping around her. Jack shrunk back. Riddick was backing the cows along a distant river. "Or in your hand, little sister. Furyans are monsters. Useful monsters, sometimes. But monsters nonetheless. If one were to strike down a Necromonger . . . Are you ready to fight monsters?"

"If I have to," Jack said.

Radne's image flickered again. "We fought the good fight, and we lost. There is something to be said for admitting defeat."

"Fuck that," Riddick muttered, one hand on the horn of a white bull, the other holding a familiar curved blade. His voice cut through the distance. The bull nuzzled him. "Never surrender."

"What about Helios? What about my dog?" Jack asked. "I dreamed Dion killed him. It hurt. I miss him. And I'm scared."

Radne smiled, sadly. "Good sense. I'm sorry. I held this connection open too long. I'll give your companions something to distract them. Sleep now. Heal."

For an instant, she was back in the control room, very cold and strangely thirsty. She pulled her hands out of the table. The lights seemed to be flashing. There were two people she thought she knew. Felt like she was falling. The universe tilted, and went dark.

* * *

I can't bear to be in Borson's boat any longer. Walk the perimeter of the bay, running my hands over the walls. Think about things. I'm a fucking warrior. Member of a team. I drop blast doors to protect what's inside. Do I sacrifice everyone stuck here?

Maybe. I did something like that, once upon. But these folks are all family. Jack's family. Or something. Jack wouldn't lock her family in somewhere just to save someone on the other side. Probably.

Think of her psych chart, on that fucking doctor's computer. Feels like ice water on the back of my neck. Idealistic. Self sacrificing. History of suicidal ideation. Yeah, she might not sacrifice someone else, but she is sure as fuck willing to sing Abide With Me as the waters close over her head. Close my eyes. Not on my watch.

Not now. Think of this room. The blast doors drop, locking whosever in here, in here. I look up. And fuck me, I can see where the automated defenses were, on the walls, up high. So the weapons crack, and people die.

But imagine some don't. Imagine some are alive, in here, with the dead. Imagine I've dropped the blast doors to protect the base. Imagine I've left a way through. Where would it be? Where would a planet full of Jacks put it?

Somewhere where folks would have to cooperate to use it.

I see something. High up. Awkward. I saunter over, feel the wall above my head. There's a divot. Press my fingers in, and something moves. Just a few inches.

Step back. Looks like a big keyhole. Well, huh.

Too big for a key. Like something you'd stick the butt of knife into.

Like the knife fragments I picked up at Audhumla.

Well, huh. Root around in my pocket. Find a likely piece. Place it in gently. There's a click. A panel slides back, high up. I grab the lip and start to pull myself up.

Hear footsteps behind me, and someone grabs my belt. I'm down and have her hard against the wall before I register it's the doc.

I lean into her. "Don't." I say.

Fuck me, she doesn't give an inch. "You found something. Boost me up."

"It might not be safe," I say flatly. Like I care.

"This is my operation," she says. "I'll go first. Lift me up."

I exhale noisily. What the fuck ever, lady. I boost her up and she scrambles down the hole. Swing myself up. Grab the knife hilt and follow. Door closes behind us. At least if there's still automated defenses, she'll get 'em in the face instead of me.

After a long and winding passage, we pop out near the kitchen. Realize it's been a long fucking time since Dahlgren's fruity waffles. The light's different. Nara's muttering about how the communication net's down.

I head to the control room. Table's wired to some fuel cells. I don't like it. Then my attention is totally riveted. Blood. Splashed across the silver table and dripped down to the floor.


	34. Driving in Circles

**Chapter 34: Driving in Circles**

She was walking on the beach with Yunas. Balder and Fenris were dancing at their feet, diving at the waves, running back. The sun was high and the beach was packed with children.

Asherah was sitting under an umbrella, her brown skin dark against the white sands of New Mecca. She smiled beautifully at them. "My friend," she said. "Jack. You never made it to dinner."

_Are we friends? _Jack thought. _I was your husband's first love. I broke his heart. Like Riddick broke mine. _"I'm sorry," she said. "I wish – I wish I could have made it." Balder collapsed in front of the other woman, tail wagging. Asherah petted him._ Oh god, my dogs. They're at Yunas's house. They are taking care of them for me. And the Necromongers are getting closer. _

"Don't worry about it," Asherah said. "There will be time. Our door is always open."

"Isn't it pretty to think so," someone muttered behind her. She spun around. Dion grinned at her, or maybe it was Riddick, naked and glorious on the sands. He reached for her.

"We're family," Yunas said. "We're all family. Even him. Even them."

* * *

Calm. I will be calm. I will be calm, even if it destroys the fucking universe. Smell the blood. It's Jack's. Not just Jack's. A guy's. Think it might be Toombs's. Shit. Nara's looking at me like I'm nuts. There weren't fuel cells here last night. Ain't no one but me humping those down, which means they used the floater. No floater here, that means someone took it away. Maybe with a body on it.

Now that I know what I'm looking for, it's not so hard. Floaters leave traces in the dust. Came down heavy. Left less so. Go that way. It leads to the med bay, where I killed the doctor. Awesome. Shove in. Jack's splayed out on the diagnostic bed, a bit in her mouth and my ice giant cape lovingly tucked around her. Breathing evenly. The mercs are sitting around a table, playing cards, eating chips. The scene is surreal enough I don't start killing.

"Hey," Toombs says, all causal like. "Where you slackers been?"

"We were locked out," Nara says. She's mad. I let her be for both of us. "What's going on?"

"Hell if I know," Toombs says. Eats a chip. Good idea. Grab a handful myself.

No, Nara's not mad, she's furious. "What. Happened," she says. Like she's gonna kill someone. I feel ya, lady. "Why didn't you come looking for me? And why is Ms. al-Walid strapped on the surgery gurney?"

Toombs shrugs. "She had a seizure. Bad one. Seemed the thing to do."

I blink. Yeah, actually. Give him a nod. He grins at me.

Nara ain't buying it. "She had a seizure just as we got locked out?"

Toombs rolls his eyes. He's enjoying this. "Girl genius spends like fuckin' _hours _communing with the table, yanks her hands out, looks at me like she's never fuckin' seen me before, says something about the light, and has a fuckin' seizure." He eats another chip. "Hey, we called before she did the table thing."

Eve seems to take pity on the doc. "al-Walid had the insight that the table might be the interface device and that there wasn't enough power to run it. We volunteered some spare fuel cells. Wired them up, and it worked. We did call you first. She made contact, but the interface wasn't quite right. I saw that back in my old unit when they first started wiring up the pilots into the neural net. Took a while to get it right. Medical unit says she'll be okay in a few days."

Nara's starring at her. "She made contact?"

Eve taps a console. "She got the system to dump a bunch of Colchis information into our databanks somehow."

Nara lunges for the console. "Oh, merciful Athena," she whispers. "We need to wake her up. She has to get the communication system back on line. I have to send this to Aereon."

Toombs shakes his head. "Oh no. Doc-in-the-box says it's like she got hit with a disrupter blast." My little bit of calm gets a whole lot damaged by that. "Says she's probably gonna have some more seizures and we're supposed to let her get them out of her system. Says if we push her, she could get brain damage, and I ain't explaining to her Monumental Whiteness of Being why her Very Special Girl is a drooling idiot. Ya wanna know the truth, that's why we didn't go looking for you. Thought you might want her to do stuff."

I am now nearly gaping at him. That's two smart things.

Nara glares at him. "Remember, I'm in charge here."

Toombs shrugs. "Whatever you say, darlin'. But we ain't waking her up."

Nara glares at him again, goes over to the diagnostic bed and starts bring up displays. "39% chance of another seizure in the next hour. I'll take those odds." She reaches for Jack's shoulder.

"That won't wake her up," Toombs says, lazily. "We dropped her a couple of times getting her here." Nara pokes the computer, heads to a drawer. Starts fumbling through drug ampules. "Whatcha doin'?"

"Looking for a stimulant."

"Knock it off," Toombs says, a little less lazily.

"We need to get communications back. She's our best shot."

Toombs shoves back from the table, gets in between Nara and the bed. Eve and Dahlgren do too. "Hey," he says to me. "Mountain man. I think the doc needs to be elsewhere. You up to babysitting sleeping beauty for a while?"

"You up to leaving the chips?" I say.

"Abso-fucking-lutely."

"I'm in," I say. They start packing up. Nara's pissed at me now. I shrug. "Hey, Toombs, what's with the blood back in the control room?"

He waggles his hand at me as they hustle Nara out the door. "Jesus fuck. Girl genius bit her fuckin' tongue when she had the first seizure. I shoved my hand in there so she wouldn't do it again and she fuckin' bit me!" I can't help it; I feel my lips twitching. Jack bit Derek Fucking Toombs. Gonna have to make sure she's had her shots, but still, I'm proud of her. Toombs stops in the door and glares at me. "Hey, goat fucker."

I raise an eyebrow at him. "You talkin' to me?"

"Yeah. You take care of her, you hear?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die," I say. He barks a laugh and slams the door behind him. I lock it. Take a deep breath. Then another one.

Turn around. Stare at her. The mercs left the doc's handheld there. Use it to pull off the diagnosis from the bed, read up. Far as I can put together, a whole lot of power got blasted through her for a whole lotta time. Like a really slow disrupter blast. Good news is she'll probably be fine. Bad news is she'll probably not be fine for a while.

Bring the lights down. Take out the fucking contacts and put them away. Kneel beside her. Take the bit out of her mouth. It's too big for her, and it's bloody. I set it aside. Open her mouth gently, and yeah, she bit her tongue. Let her mouth close. Look at the bit. That's gonna have to go back in. Not that I might not like her biting me.

Probably wouldn't like it if she did it during a seizure. I rinse it in the weirdly nice bathroom, put it back as gently as I can. I'm pretty fucking tempted to bundle her up and take her back to my ship, but I'm betting she's gonna have to be awake before we're getting any ships out of that bay. Doc is right. She needs to wake up. I glance over to the drawer she was rummaging in.

Fuckin' stupid idea.

Standing over her makes me feel edgy. She's too real. Not just a handy symbol for my . . . shit. I wanna say my capacity to be a good person, but it might be more like my occasional bouts of impulse control. I run a hand over my face, over my stupid hair.

"Ever think she's a symbol of your willingness to submit to the better woman?" Fry says at me. Like she's sitting at the mercs' table. I close my eyes.

"The best thing you ever did, you did because I made you," Fry says smugly. I shake my head. Jesus, lady, you didn't make me do shit. The best thing I ever did was to stop playing. To walk into the darkness. To walk away.

Fry keeps talking, like she can hear what I'm thinking. Oh why not, vengeance lady can. "Don't be so fucking grandiose. Best thing you ever did was to turn around. Are you seriously gonna be a dick when you could be a hero?"

I wanna shove her through the wall. Restrain myself. She's not here, after all. "If I submit to another woman?" I snap. "And watch get her killed by flying monsters? Who you thinkin'? The white-on-white bitch who sends mercs to kidnap little girls? The doc who's panting to risk a little girl's brain so she can phone home? The merc? The unconscious little girl herself? Kinda running out of candidates."

"Jesus, tiger," Fry says. "Don't be so fucking literal. And really, 'little girl?' She looks old enough to fuck to me. You sure thought so this morning."

I brush the hair away from Jack's face. She's too warm. I take off the ice giant cape and fold it neatly. Take her in. Bed comes with seven point restraints; wide, heavy leather bands lined with something soft and form fitting. Who ever strapped her in only used five; ankles, wrists, and a waist belt. I could probably pop 'em with brute strength and patience, but Jack's wrists would break long before they would. She's stuck here until someone lets her up.

I killed the doc so Jack wouldn't be strapped to this hospital bed. And here she is.

"Sounds like destiny," Fry says. I ignore her.

Dead-doctor boy woulda used all the restraints. Would strapped her face down. Awake. Helpless. Afraid. He would have put the chip in and hurt her. Judging from what he did to Nara, he woulda also made her feel real good.

"You think you're any better?" Fry says. She's eating chips and drinking a mojito, just to fuck with me. "You fucked that little girl after she told you not to. You know what that makes you?"

I shake my head. "She never told me not to fuck her. She told me she didn't want Toombs to hear her cum. I obliged."

"Are you seriously gonna play rules lawyer with me? Do you seriously think it's okay 'cause you made her orgasm?"

"Didn't hear any complaints."

"How could you? You had your fucking hand over her mouth. And now you're thinking how good she looks, strapped down. Have you thought about packin' up the bed? Bet you could have a lot of fun with the girl on a bed like this."

My face goes hot. She ain't all wrong. Jesus. I've spent so much time in chains it's not surprising it turns a crank for me, now is it? And fuck it, I'm not the one who strapped her down.

Dead girl smirks at me. "That bother you, killer?"

Jack's sweated and strained in that dress, and it is getting smelly. I can fix that. And if she has a seizure while I'm stripping her, I'll just hold her down. I unstrap her right ankle. Nasty bruises there. Nothing that looks new. I handle her foot and ankle for a while, then turn to her left. Repeat. Stroke up her legs. Left wrist. Fuck me, her wrists are tiny. There are fresh bruises up her arm and the wrist feels loose in a way I don't like. Right wrist. Same thing.

Check the diagnostic display. Up to 41% chance of a seizure in the next hour.

I unstrap the restraint around her waist. Take my time getting her clothes off. Run my hands over her body, and yes, give myself a massive hard on.

"You gonna fuck her?" Fry says. "She'll probably never know. Ooh, or that thing dogs do, rubbing up against you. Bet that would be fun."

I grunt. Caress a breast. No response. No fear, no desire. I do what Toombs didn't; buckle the restraint across her forehead, cinch it snug. Move on to her wrists. Force myself to go slow and careful. Can't see any reason not to strap her thighs down. By the time I finish, she's up to a 42% chance of a seizure. I pull a chair close to the bed, open my pants, and tug one out, staring at her. Clean up with her dress.

"You feel good about yourself?" Fry asks.

Find a blanket that's not so warm as the skin of an ice giant. Tuck it around her. Take her clothes to the weirdly nice bathroom. Go through her pockets. Find that pretty shiv I made for her. Shove the clothes into the refresher. Piss. Wash my hands carefully. My eyes hurt.

I take off the ridiculous necklace I picked up for her back on Audhumlah. Tangle with the shiv necklace. Hang both on the wall.

When I get back, Fry seems to be standing over Jack, looking down on her. I must be more tired than I thought. "Poor kid," she says. "She's gonna get ripped apart by monsters after all."

I lose it. I grab that dead neck and shove it hard into the wall. She laughs at me. "Not gonna happen," I grind out. "Soon as my ship is ready, we're outta here."

Dead girl laughs at me. "You really think so? I'll give you this, you left her somewhere where she got herself well socialized. You'll have to drag her out of here. Or roll her, if you strap her to the bed first." I growl at her. "And first she'll fight you, then she'll hate you." My fists clench.

"She don't know who I am," I say. "She'll come around when she does."

"Don't be an idiot," she says. "She knows who you are. She's just playing along because she's got more important things to worry about than you right now."

I growl again. Fry's not here. She's never been here. She blows me a kiss, and she's gone.

The bed's got wheels. I unlock them, roll it into a cozy corner. Relock 'em. Hell if I know whether there's gonna be earthquakes. Put a chair next to it, shove the rest of the furniture against walls. Run through a basic workout. Then a more intense one. 51%. Then another. 58%. Work myself up into a good sweat before there's a knock on the door.

* * *

She was back on Helios, sitting at Angela Hyperion's table. She'd lived in this house for months, after she'd escaped from the mercs and couldn't bear to be under Abu's roof any more. The table was loaded with food and flowers. Angela was sitting at the table's head. Radne at the foot. "It's all about power," Angela said. "Having it. Using it wisely. Letting other people share in it, even if you think they're evil and stupid."

"Even if they're killers?" Jack said. Her voice was rough. It hurt to use it.

"We're all killers," Radne said. "Comes preinstalled."

"But we're vegetarians in this house," Jack said, woefully.

Angela smiled at her, lovingly. "Oh, dear child. We are members of a civilization. A sweet and generous civilization, but we still play on the dark side when we have to. Or we want to. Millions of lives have been lost to get us here. 'Twas every thus."

"Twas ever thus," Radne echoed.

"Life feeds on life," Angela said. She took a bite of an apple, tossed it up.

Jack caught it out of the air. "What about the Necromongers? Aren't they something different?"

"Magnificent killers," Radne said. "And good card players."


	35. Gugalanna

**Chapter 35: Gugalanna**

Put the contacts back in. Answer the door. It's Dahlgren. With a picnic basket. "Hey," he says. "Brought you guys some dinner." I take it, bemused. Let him in. He follows along like a puppy. "Jesus, it's dark in here. How's the girl?" He cranes around to look at her. Fuck me, he actually looks concerned.

I shrug. "Don't think she's woken up. Chance of seizure keeps ticking up."

"Yeah. Did that for us too. Happy to take the night shift."

Takes me a minute. Have to contemplate how dead he would be if I thought there was any chance of that. Manage a grin. "I'm good. Kinda staying away from the doc, to tell the truth."

"Don't blame you. She's pretty mad. Well, when she surfaces from the computers. She's pretty happy about that data dump."

I snort. "Any progress on getting communications back?"

"Nope. Or getting the blast doors open. We can't even figure out how to get back to the ships. How'dya do that?"

"Kept poking the walls until I found something. Will anyone check on this place if we're outta touch too long?"

"Oh, yeah," he says. "Probably. But it takes a couple of days for a blip to get to a relay station. No one will notice until then. They'll send someone. Of course, if the automatic defenses really have deployed, a ship might get shot down. Probably should get her up by then."

I grunt. "So she's got a couple of days to get better?"

He shrugs. "Depends on how pissed off Nara gets, I think. Problem for another day. Day after tomorrow, to be specific."

I bark a laugh. "Good enough."

"You need anything to make this place cozy?"

"Nah. There's a cot."

He nods. "Don't bother you to sleep in a bed the doc died in? Good man. If we don't get the coms back, someone'll be back at 0800 to check on you two."

I clap him on the shoulder. "Thanks, man."

He leaves. I lock the door. Think about shoving something heavy in front of it. Door opens in; something heavy in front'll keep Jack from wandering off in the night. Like she tried to do last night.

Very tempting.

But paranoid. Girl's strapped down. She ain't going nowhere until I let her. She might see something heavy as a sign I don't trust her.

Just leave it locked. But I hang our necklaces on the door knob. Just in case I fall asleep, they'll make a merry noise.

Take out the fucking contacts. Run through the workout routines again. Work up a sweat. Think about showering. Seizure forecast is up to 83%. Maybe later. Settle down in a chair with one of the consoles and start scanning through Jack's data dump while I eat some of Dahl's good food. He even sent some pudding for Jack, if she wakes up for it, and a small bottle of whisky.

Doc-in-the-Box pings. Suggests Jack needs hydratin' and that another seizure is on its way. Alrighty. Get up, start checking out supplies. Shoulda done that before. This doc had a lot of knock out drugs. I pocket a few. You never know. Find some clothes that might fit her; set them aside.

Find some restraints, kinda like the ones that are strapping her down. Handle them thoughtfully. Might be helpful. Put them aside too.

Find hydration stuff. Also find a straw, in case she wakes up and I don't wanna unstrap her for some reason. Uncover her arm. I'd strapped it in palm down. Unstrap it and roll it over, uncovering the soft underside. Uncovering the scar. I kiss it, gently. A shudder goes through her arm. "Jack?" I say. In my real voice.

She doesn't react. 'cause she's unconscious. Right. Doc-in-the-Box starts to ping. Great. Seizure forecast shoots up to 98%. Finish strapping her back just as another shudder goes through her. Then her whole body convulses, like she did when she came. Only so much harder. She's straining so hard against all the straps I know she's gonna be bruised.

I get on top of her. Hold her down. Let the convulsions pass through me. Her jaw's so tight I'm fucking grateful for a bit for the first time in my life; she coulda broken teeth and drowned in that blood. Murmur comforting shit in her ear, stroke her hair. She breaks out into cold sweat. The convulsions start to ease.

After a long time, I risk glancing up at the display. It's over, and the seizure forecast is dropping. Like she got it out of her system for a while. With one last tremor her body relaxes like she'd just finishing cumming. If the thigh strap wasn't there, I mighta done something inappropriate.

I lay there for a long time. Her breathing is fast and forced. Might be because there 120 kilos of convict on top of her. Lift myself up. Find a glass. Take a long drink. My hands are shaking. Glare at them until they're still.

Take another drink. Remember the last time I had a bit in my mouth. She's gotta be parched. Set up the hydration drip. Sterilize her arm. Sterilize the needle. Slide it in. Tuck the blanket around her.

Push the chair hard against the wall next to the bed. Settle down and read about Necromongers for a long time.

* * *

She was back on the nightmare planet. The suns were setting. Ridiculously, the table from the control room was there on the sands.

She stroked her hand over it. Nothing happened.

Someone was behind her. Shoved her face down hard. She kicked back. Heard the man yelp. She twisted off the table and ran.

Heard footsteps behind her. She'd been running forever. She was almost grateful for the hands on her. Until they shoved her down, hard, back on the table. Strong hands turned her over. The merc Riddick killed to save her. Johns. One hand was on her throat; the other was holding a bouquet of shackles. He grinned at her. "Hey, kid," he said.

"Fuck you," she said.

"Maybe later," he said. "Hey, big guy, little help?"

Riddick was there. Her heart sang just a little bit. He stalked over, bigger than life and twice as mean. "Whatcha need?"

"Save me," she whispered. He smiled down at her.

"Help me get her tied down," Johns said.

"No prob," Riddick replied. Johns tossed him shackle. It was as big as the universe. Riddick got it on her right wrist, yanked it hard, fastened it to the table.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Helping!" Johns answered. Riddick grabbled her left wrist, snapped on the cuff, pulled it to the other side of the table. Grinned at her.

"Don't," she whispered. "Please."

"It'll be fun," Riddick said. "Just relax."

Johns let go of her throat. "Don't you look good," he says. "Good enough to eat."

"Nom nom nom," Riddick said. He grabbed her right ankle. She kicked at him. His fingers tightened hard enough to hurt. "None of that," he said.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked, her voice cracking.

"Widdick bait." Johns said. "Be vewy vewy quiet. We're hunting Widdicks."

Riddick winked at her. Shackled her left ankle to the table.

"Jesus," she said. "You're using me as bait? For him? Is he here?"

Riddick had her right ankle in his palm. "Where else would he be?" Johns answered, brightly. "I mean, you're here."

Jack whimpered. "Shhhh," Riddick soothed. He stroked her hair. Whispered into her ear, giving her goose bumps. "It was inevitable. Relax and enjoy."

He kissed her, lovingly, and despite everything, she kissed him back. He broke it off far to soon. Grinned at her again. "See ya, kid," he said.

He and Johns walked away, leaving her, tied to the table on a planet where the ground seethed with monsters. Monsters that would come out in the dark.

Jack jerked awake. Heart pounding. Tied down. In a dark room. With a large body hulking beside her.

* * *

Tackling the Necros would be nuts. These folks kill for keeps. I was half tempted to take the job based on what Toombs and Abu said. Kill some monsters, make the girl happy, get to keep the girl. Now that I've done the reading, fuck that. If the blast doors weren't all closed, I'd roll her right onto my ship and get the fuck out of here.

Thing is, she's gonna give me shit. She wants to fight these monsters. Shiva's tears.

I stare at her hands. Really fucking regretting not just killing everyone and getting us the hell out of here yesterday morning.

The smell of her fear slaps me hard. Turn to look at her. She's dreaming. Her eyes are moving fast under her closed eyelids and her body is twitching like she's fighting. Poor kid.

Hits me that she'll wake up to being tied down and loomed over. I wouldn't like it.

Something else hits me. Smell of desire. First she's afraid, then she's turned on. Interesting.

Doc in the box says seizure risk 6%. Not so bad. I'm staring at the readings when her eyes open. She squeezes them shut fast. Awake. Pretending she's not. Alrightly. I'll play along. A bit.

Slip the contacts back in. Kneel down beside her. Kiss her cheek. "Rise and shine, sleeping beauty." Ghost my lips down to her neck. "Hmmm," I breathe. She goes goose bumps. I like that.

"Hey," I whisper into a soft ear. "It's me. Richards. Cyrus. You had a seizure. Mercs strapped you down so you wouldn't hurt yourself. Watching over you." I stroke her soft hair. Her eyes open. Meet mine. There's hope in those green eyes.

Undo the forehead strap. She smiles at me around the bit, and it makes my heart sing. The way she made my heart sing yesterday when she recognized me. And then she broke my fucking heart when she recoiled away from me. Makes me frown. Her smile slips.

Ah well. We'll have a chat about that once we're outta here. More important things. "Here's the deal," I say, stroking that soft cheek. "I'll take out the bit, let you up for a while." Her smile falters a little more. "One condition." Smile goes away. "I'll let you up if you promise me you won't give me shit when it's time to strap you down again."

She's staring at me in a way I don't like. "Promised Toombs I'd take care of you. You're gonna have another seizure. You need to be strapped down for it. Don't wanna deal with shit when it comes time. We got a deal?"

She blinks rapidly, tries to talk through the bit. Frustration arcs across her face. I wait politely, stroking her face, her hair. Finally, she nods, a small, tight thing.

"Good girl," I whisper. I unstrap the bit. She starts working her tongue and jaw. "Don't try to talk. Sip this." I lift up her shoulders, slip a straw between her lips. That look of frustration goes across her again, but she takes a big drink, then another. I take it from her, put it on the table.

She's pulling against the straps. Start with her ankles again. Restrain the urge to tickle her bare feet. Unbuckle them slowly, give them a squeeze, move up to the thigh strap. Restrain the urge to finger her. Undo the straps from her wrists, help her sit up. Enjoy pressing my fingers against that soft skin as I do. She seems to figure out all of a sudden that she's naked. Pulls the blanket around herself like it's gonna help.

Hand her a glass of water. She drinks it down, hands it back, and starts going after the needle in her arm. "Let me." Makes her frustrated again, but she lets me do it. Then she swings her legs off the side of the bed, stands unsteadily. "Hey," I say. Where you goin'?"

"Gotta pee," she croaks. She grabs the blanket off the bed, stumbles towards the head. I follow her. Help her get the blanket wrapped around her. She don't seem grateful.

She pisses for a long time. When it finally stops, she seems to slump. "How do you feel?" I ask her. Make my voice gentle.

Those green eyes flick up to me, then away. "Sore. Squashed. Like a walrus sat on me. Did one?" Her voice is rough. I shake my head, fill a glass of water, hand it to her. She drinks it down, hands it back. "Fine," she says, her voice a little smoother. "Just – bad dreams."

I nod. "Been havin' 'em too," I say. Her eyes lock on mine for an instant. She blinks and looks away.

I am-" She stops again. Looks around the bathroom. Looks helpless. "Where are my clothes?"

"Refresher," I say. "I found you some other stuff that might fit."

She nods, lurches to her feet. "Thank you. I'm gonna shower."

"Smart." I say. Her eyes flick across me again. She gives me another small nod, heads for the tub. Turns the water on, puts her hand under it. It's red and metallic smelling.

"You can go," she says, curtly. "I got this."

"No," I say, using the gentle voice. "If you have another seizure, you could hurt yourself.

"I'll take the risk."

"Don't make this hard, Jack," I say, letting a little bit of the real me creep in.

"Oh, I'm the one making this hard?" she snaps, her voice rough again. Like she's trying not to cry. She rubs her face, leaving a rusty red smear across it. "Don't put this on me. I didn't start any of this." I just look at her. She seems to deflate. "Might be moot anyway. I'm not showering in this."

"Give it a minute," I say. "Doc didn't have a chance to use the equipment."

Her eyes lock on mine again. "Because you killed him. For me."

One of the many. "Yeah."

"Jesus," she says. The room is warming up. Feels nice in all this cold. She seems to make a decision. Turns to the shower. Squares her shoulder. Drops the blanket, giving me a nice view of her butt. Steps into the water, pulling the curtain tight behind her.

I sit on the toilet, pull off my boots. Set them down softly. Strip off my clothes, move the shower curtain with one finger. She's standing in the water, eyes closed, looking like she's trying not to cry. The water hardly looks bloody at all any more. I watch her for a long time, the water streaming down her face, her breasts, her belly, her sweet, sweet cunt. My dick feels hot and heavy.

Her eyes open, staring straight ahead. I'm in her peripheral vision; she knows I'm oogling. After too long, she turns to look at me. There's a look of resignation in those eyes that I will hate if I think about it too long. Then her gaze skates up and down my body. I know from that certain look in her eye she likes what she sees, even if she's mad at it. Then her eyes go to the cut on my arm and stop on it, fixedly. Fuck this. I step into the shower behind her.


	36. In the Pale Moonlight

**Chapter 36: In the Pale Moonlight**

Her heartbeat kicks up. I smell fear. I smell sex. All in good time. "Shhh," I whisper into her ear. "Relax." I slide my hand down her spine. "Gonna take care of you." Put my other arm around her. Pull her close.

She takes a deep breath. Nods. Stands passively, letting my hands go where they want to go. I cup a breast, worshipfully. Feels so fucking good, I cup the other one. She makes a soft helpless sound in the back of her throat. Makes my cock twitch.

Reluctantly, I let her go, pick up a bottle of shampoo, squeeze some into my hand. Start massaging it into her hair. Her hands come up like she's going to try to push me away. I press her hands into her head with just enough force to remind her she ain't moving if I don't let her. She shudders. I back off, let her wash her own hair. Take care of my own.

Once her hair is rinsed, she seems about to get out of the shower. I stop her. Not ready. "Wait," I say. Make my voice playful. "Conditioner."

"Maybe I don't want it," she says. Her voice isn't playful at all. I sigh, run my fingers over her neck, reach for a bottle of the stuff, massage a generous amount in. Pick her up to swap places with her so I can rinse the shampoo out of my hair. Her heartbeat rockets up when her feet leave the ground. I press her tight against me, grinding my erection against her back. Then I set her down. Lean back into the water, keeping her pressed against me even though the conditioner makes my nose twitch.

When I'm done, I rotate us again and help rinse her off. Run my hands over her, gently. Lovingly. Remember what Fry said about her being the symbol of my willingness to submit to the better woman. Chuckle.

"What?" she says. Like she's a long way away. I ain't explaining. But I wrap my arms around her and pull her close.

"Another day," I whisper. Turn the water off, grab a towel, and start drying her. She tries to move away from me. "Relax," I say, again, letting a little bit of my real voice through. Her skin prickles into goose bumps.

"You think there's gonna be one?" she asks, her voice small. I sigh, step out of the tub. Pull back the curtain so we're facing each other. Offer her my right hand. She takes it, steps out moving much better than she did when we started. I keep her small hand in mine and pin it at the small of her back. Put my other hand on the back of her neck. Tilt her head back. Kiss her lips gently. She doesn't open them. I kiss the side of her mouth, kiss down to her neck. Her breathing hitches. I press her into me, rubbing my erection against her belly. She tries to pull her hand away.

Pretend not to notice. Sink to my knees in front of her and kiss those soft, damp, breasts. After a long time, she groans like it feels good. Goes straight to my crotch. Reach between her legs and stroke gently. She groans again and puts her free hand on my head. Presses me into her.

I lose it. My hands are on her thighs, digging in. Stand up, lifting her with me, wrapping her legs around me. Shove her against a wall, kissing her hungrily. Stroke her clit, position myself, thrust up hard.

She makes a mewling noise. I'm hurting her. Cools me off enough that I slow down, pull back and look at her. Our eyes lock. Her thighs weigh heavy in my hands. "Sorry," I murmur. "Too rough?"

She clears her throat. "Yeah."

I nod. "Sorry." I smile at her, goofily. Start kissing her neck hungrily. She groans like she likes it. Kiss her lips worshipfully. At last, she opens her mouth and starts kissing me back. I lose it again, thrusting up hard and fast. Cum so hard my legs buckle.

When I can think again, I've got her pinned hard to the wall. I let her thighs go at some point, and her legs are sliding down around my hips. Weird feeling. Pretty sure she didn't cum. She's working hard to breathe. Probably 'cause I'm leaning hard into her. Manage to pull back some. Our eyes meet. Hers are haunted. Fear. Want. Like that. She's still mad at me. Don't like that. Makes me feel bad.

Spilt milk. I stand straight. My dick's limp enough to slide right out of her. She slides right on down the wall. Like I cut her strings.

I lean down, put my hands on her waist. Mean to pull her up, but suddenly, it's not Jack, it's Fry, at the foot of the ramp up to the skiff and I'm tryin' to get her to come with me. Willingly. Leaving Jack and al-Walid to die. Willingly. So I barely touch her. Because I want her to come with me. Willingly. To be like me. Worse than me. Willing to leave people to die. I jerk back, breathing hard.

Fucking hell, what the fuck was wrong with me? I feel myself swallow.

Jack looks up at me, confused. She didn't think we weren't done. We're not. Jesus. Fry's dead. Jack's alive. Jack's here. Her knees are spread and my cum is leaking out of her sweet cunt. Don't fucking care if she comes willingly. Can't care. Not gonna make that mistake again. Not gonna let her die.

I throw her over my shoulder and head back to the bedroom. Something warm and wet slides down between us. Know what that is. Makes me grin.

Wanna throw her down, make her cum and cum until I am ready to have my way with her again. Until she wants to come with me. Maybe that'd work. Restrain myself. Lay her on the diagnostic bed as sweet and gentle as I can. 15% chance of a seizure in the next hour, it tells me helpfully.

She tries to sit up. I put a hand on her chest. "Relax," I whisper. "I owe you one. You can be as noisy as you need to be. Whatdya say this morning? Just a little fun before what's coming comes?"

She shakes her head. "Why do you think you owe me an orgasm?" she asks. "Is there some sort of exchange economy on them where you come from?"

I snort. Start running my hands down her body. "Maybe I'm just a nice guy."

Now she snorts. There's anger in that snort. "You think so?"

I growl, louder than I meant to. She shivers. I smell fear. My dick twitches. Pitch my voice low. "Why would you say a thing like that?"

She doesn't answer immediately. Think about tying her down. Think about all the drugs in this room. One of 'em gotta make her truth telling. Tempting. Really mystified why she's so pissed at me. She doesn't know what I'm thinking. Scoot close. Tangle a hand in her wet hair, pull her head back, expose her neck again. Kiss it roughly.

"I've been _very _nice, Jack," I say, almost in Riddick voice. Once again, she goes all goose bumps. Like that. Caress her throat. Other hand's between her legs. She's breathing hard.

She shook her head. "You were nice. But a nice guy would have just untied me," she whispers, her voice high and tight. "Only a dick would make me promise to just lie back and take it when he decided to tie me up again."

I stop, my teeth against her jugular. Fry asked me an hour ago if I was gonna be a dick or a hero. Guess I knew then what the answer would be. Still feels like I'm bein' kicked in the gut, hearing Fry's word outta Jack's mouth.

"You rather I make you?" I whisper, rough. "Strap you down while you're fighting me?"

"That's a false choice," she shoots back fast. All the shit that's goin' on, this is what she's pissed about. Huh. "You could have asked nicely. How would you like to wake up strapped down with a bit in your mouth and Toombs looming over you saying he'd untie you if and only if you promised to let him tie you up again?"

My hands tighten. She hisses in pain. Shit. Force myself to relax. "Sorry," I mutter. "Didn't mean to do that." Don't wanna, but I take my hands off of her, lock them behind my head. She sits up, looks like she's going to get off the bed, but something in my face makes her lose her nerve. Stare at her for a long time; long enough that she's begun to look shifty. "You're right. That was a dick move. I'm sorry."

She exhales noisily, looks at me, really looks at me. Her eyes soften. I am a very pretty boy, after all. She pats my cheek awkwardly with a bruised hand. "Yeah. Thanks – thank you."

I put a hand over hers. We're having a moment, sitting naked on a diagnostic bed in a dead military base. She ends it. "I, uh, need to get cleaned up," she says, sounding embarrassed. "And I'm really fucking cold. Also hungry. Do we have anything to eat?"

Glance up at the diagnostic. 22%. Maybe getting upset makes it tick up faster. "Yeah. Dahl brought you some pudding."

* * *

He brought her the clothes he found; something that looked like hospital scrubs, old socks, and a big ugly sweater. He didn't dress himself; just pulled the ice giant cape around himself with a carelessness she was fairly certain was calculated. For reasons she did not want to interrogate too strenuously, he wanted her to look at him. It was hard not to. Aside from his ridiculous hair, he was stunning. He seated her at the table and brought her food with an exaggerated courtesy that didn't make sense for a guy who had just shoved her against a wall and fucked her. He also brought her console and seemed content to have her play with it while she ate.

She kept half an eye on him. He set up a cot right by the diagnostic bed, lashing the legs of the two together to make a type of double. Clearly, he intended they sleep together. Again.

Her console was crammed to the brim with data, but wouldn't talk to the system's computers. Looked like she'd turned on security. _Or maybe Radne had_. From what Richards said, they were locked down in the base, in a communication blackout. She was pretty sure the blast doors would open for her. She was less sure about communications. If she couldn't use the interface again, someone would have to leave the gravity well to call out.

Richards retrieved the clothes she'd worn yesterday, folded them neatly, and put them in her bag. He put it by the door. "Thank you," she called to him.

He grinned at her, lupine and feral. "You never know," he said, his voice low. "Always have a dump bag."

"Ri – someone told me that once," she said. Something dark passed over Richards' features.

"Did you?" he asked, his voice low.

"Yeah." She gave him a quick look. There was a lot of anger in those brown eyes.

"Did it do you any good?"

She nodded. "Yeah. That first time the mercs-" She stopped. "It did me good."

His eyes bored into her. Without breaking eye contact, he pulled a chair right in front of her, boxing her in between the bed the wall, and the table. "These merc assholes grabbed you when you were a kid."

She rubbed her face. "Yeah."

"Dragged you around Audhumla."

"That's what they told me," she said, neutrally.

"They hurt you?"

She flinched, remembering Dahlgren's fingers on the control collar. His look sharpened. _I do not like where this is going. _". . . Yeah."

"And you got away."

She smiled. "Yeah."

His eyes became darker. "In Polyphemus station. In the fucking lower levels. With your hands cuffed behind your back and a control collar around your neck."

"Ye-ah. More or less. I got them both off me and onto Dahlgren first." His lips twitched and some of the darkness faded. "How did you know all this?"

"Toombs. He was giving Dahl shit about letting you get away."

"Ah."

"Howdya do it?"

She shook her head. "Someone – someone showed me how to get out of handcuffs, once. I got them off one wrist, and when Dahlgren came at me, I beaned him over the head with them. Pretty easy after that. He was pretty drunk."

"Dahlgren came at you," he said, his face darkening again. "Just him. With your hands cuffed behind your back. Because he was mad about his brother getting eaten by an ice giant. Because he wanted to take it out on you."

"Yeah. I don't think you need me for this story."

He leaned close. "Oh, I do. Was that fucker trying to rape you?"

She felt her face go red. "Just drop it. Please."

He stared at her for a long time. After too long, he backed off, slightly. Muttered, "he's a dead man."

"Jesus," Jack said. "Where the fuck do you get off, deciding that? Where the fuck do _you _get off, deciding that? We're all in this together, now. He might be the one who saves the galaxy from Necromongers."

Richards snorted. "I don't give a fuck about the galaxy."

"You know you're in the galaxy, don't you?" she said, lighter than she felt. "That was years ago. He's been decent. Made me pudding. Told Toombs to fuck himself instead of putting on the shock collar. Hasn't tried to hurt me, even just a little bit. And I did get his brother killed."

He just stared at her.

"Everyone deserves a shot at redemption," Jack said. "I know I do. I killed someone, you know. A lot of people – a lot of people have died for me." Her eyes bored into his. "I've done bad things. I have a lot to make up for."

"You killed Antonia Chillingsworth," Richards said, his voice flat. "That bitch needed killing. Nothing to make up for there."

Jack rocked back. "You know a whole lot stuff about me for some 'random bruiser Nara picked up.'"

He leaned forward, close enough that she could feel the heat of his body. _Not human standard, _she thought, suddenly. "Yeah. I know a lot of stuff." He said, his voice intense. "I know you killed that bitch to save your friend, and if he don't do what they want, they're gonna hand you over to her people. Do you know what they'd do to your soft flesh?" His hands were shaking. He saw her eyes on them, and clenched them into fists. Put the fists on her knees. Tapped them, heavily. "You'd be years dyin'."

"You care about that?" Jack said.

"Yeah," he said. "Despite popular reports, I'm not a fucking psychopath. Never fear. I will slit your throat before I let that happen to you."

"Well, that's comforting," Jack shot back. She rubbed her eyes. Took a deep breath. "Jesus, Riddick, let's stop playing. Why are you here?"


	37. Penny for the Old Guy

**Chapter 37: Penny for the Old Guy**

"Took you long enough," I growl at her.

Worked on that growl. It's a growl that has made grown men wet themselves. She just rolls her eyes. Like she's not afraid of me. Kinda thought she was. Huh. She fixes me to the wall with a look. "Kinda working here. And I got the vibe that if you were Riddick, you wanted me to play along with the 'Riddick's pretending to be someone else' thing for a while. But it didn't look like it was gonna get fun any time soon."

I grunt. "Fair enough. You gonna rat me out?"

She laughs. Tinge of hysteria in it. Maybe she's afraid after all. "Hadn't crossed my mind. How -_why_ are you here?"

Shrug. Lift my fists off her knees, stretch my fingers. "Where else should I be? You're here." Her eyes widen. Like the words mean something to her. Hurm. I grin like I'm making a joke. Maybe I am. "Seemed the thing to do. Especially since the lady asked so nice for my help."

She gets her composure back. Or something. "You always help women who ask nice?"

"Almost always. Hardly ever gets them killed." My voice sounds meaner than I mean it to.

She shivers at last. Don't think she knows the effect that shiver has on me. Would if she was watching my dick. "What happened to your eyes?"

"Nothin.'" I take out the contacts and sight, glorious sight, returns to me. Feels fucking good. "Just blending in."

"Oh," she says. Her eyes go soft. Like that. "Oh. That was . . . confusing."

I grin at her and go find the contacts case. Half expecting her to get up and . . . I dunno, grab me from behind and hug me, like she used to as a kid, or fall on her knees and suck me off, like I'm wishin' she'd do, or bolt for the door, like she probably should do. Something. She don't move. Collapse on the chair again, box her in. Grin big. "All in the game, kid. Whendya figure it out?"

She reaches forward, takes my right hand in both of her little ones. "First time I laid eyes on you yesterday, I thought I knew you. I really did think you might be my crazy dead brother, though. That necklace freaked me out." There's a question in her eyes. Don't have an answer for it. She soldiers on. "My mother had one just like it. I couldn't find it after she - died." Interesting hesitation. "When I saw the cut on your arm-" She swallows, starts staring real intently at my fingers. "I was dead certain it was you, at first. But it didn't make sense. I didn't think you were interested in-" She stops again. She don't wanna say it.

"Interested in fucking you?" I purr, low and sexy.

She goes red. "Yeah. Made me doubt. Made me wonder if Abu set it up for some crazy reason."

I hear myself growl at Abu's name. Jesus fuck, she was right yesterday; I'm panting to kill him. Her eyes go up to mine, and there is plain fear in them at last. Of me? Or of what I'm gonna do to him? "He know I cut you?" I say softly.

"Yeah. He found the bloody bedding before I got back from the spaceport. He didn't – I didn't want him to think we did something – bad."

I grunt. Gotta give the old guy that one. That's probably where he got my blood for the DNA lock. My own fault.

She keeps going. "But I can't imagine they'd tell the guy to keep it bleeding. Because that's kinda nuts." There's still fear, but there's also an accusation in those green eyes.

I smile. "Yeah." Reach forward with my left hand, start stroking her thigh. "You got me."

She swallows again. Looks away. Seems to steel herself and looks back. "Then you said you'd slit my throat to keep me away from Chillingsworth's people. That's when I knew for sure. Because no one else I know would say something like that."

Because I did that once. And those fuckin' mercs showed it to her. Which means she's dead wrong: lots of people she knows know I think like that, and would happily spit it out to fool her. I nod, seriously. "No one loves you like I do, kid."

Her eyes widen again. Like it bothers her I said that. Wacky. Then she snorts. "True that. You stole Abu's message chip out of my pocket, didn't you?"

"Yup."

"What did he tell you?"

Chew over what to tell her. Decide to start with what she already knows. "That if I kill a guy, they'll give you to me, body and soul. If I don't, they'll give you to Chillingsworth's people."

"That's what they told me too." Her voice is neutral. Don't like that. She should love that. Or hate that. Not be neutral. "Anything else?" I shrug, noncommittally. "What are you going to do?"

Lean close enough she can feel my breath on her face. "You wanna spend time with Chillingsworth's people?"

Her pretty face twists. Good. "No."

Rock back. Smile a satisfied smile. "We're good, then."

"Are we?" she says. "Look. It's really good to see you. I've missed you more than words can say. But I'm committed to this. I want – I will fight for my home."

"The folks who handed you over to a monster? You're gonna stick your neck out for them?"

"They didn't. It's not like that. They're not like that. I swear. Abu -" She shuts her mouth on his name. Huh. Takes another run. "If I ask nicely, will you help?" Her voice cracks.

"You sure you wanna do that? Fry asked nicely. I helped. Didn't work out so well."

Jack shakes her head. Keeps her voice light. "I thought Fry punched you. I'm willing to do that."

Didn't know she knew that. Huh. Smile real big. Make my voice sexy. Like I like that idea. Maybe I do. Start stroking her inner thigh, damn close to where those thighs come together. "Fry knocked me in the mud, told me she was the captain, and ordered me to help her save you. Any time you wanna go a round, baby, I'm ready."

She blushes. Cute. "She knocked you into the mud? You came back because of that?"

I _know_ I never told her this before. Never said these words out loud to anyone. "No. Let her say her piece. Then pulled her down, shoved her under me, and asked if she'd die for you."

Jack pulls back as far as she can. Which is not far. I like this wall. "Would you have left me there if she said she wouldn't?"

"Ooh," Fry says. She's sitting on the diagnostic bed, playing with the straps. "_Good_ question, little girl. Can't wait to watch him wriggle out of that."

"Dunno." I say. I want this to be a Jack-and-me moment, but Fry is pantomiming orgasms on the bed, clutching at the straps. Distracting. I rock back. "Liked you. Wanted you to make it. Didn't want you to die. Didn't want to die either. Still workin' it all out when Fry showed up."

Jack turns and looks at what I'm looking at. Pretty sure she don't see nothin.' Turns back. "And now?"

I shift closer. "Not much has changed." Make my voice breathy. "Like you more."

She blinks up at me. "Like me more now than you did then, or like me more than you liked Fry?" Fry claps her hands, delighted. I glare at her. Jack keeps talking. "Does that mean you're going to do it? Take the job, get the girl?" Her voice is weird.

"Dunno," I say. "Already got the girl."

"But can you keep her?" Fry asks. "Without the Helian stamp of approval on the ownership papers?" My eyes lock on her. My lips pull tight against my teeth. My jaw's so tight it hurts. Jesus, lady, get out of my head. Jack turns to look at the bed again. Turns back in time to see me swallow hard.

"Do you want the girl?" Jack says, like she's talking about something else. "Never got the sense you wanted a sidekick."

Jesus. I don't. All about the splendid isolation. She'd seriously mess that up. "Thinkin' we should just rabbit." I say, low. "Get the fuck away. Just you and me."

"He made me that offer," Fry says. "I was really fucking tempted. This is where you punch him. He's gotta know who's boss."

"Why do you keep looking at the bed?" Jack asks me.

I sigh, run a hand over my head. "Thinking about a bad dream," I say. "Wasn't shittin' you about having them. Are you gonna punch me?"

Her lips twitch. Guess it was the right thing to say. "Not tonight," she says. "Still pretty weak. If I tell you I'm not going to run away with you, are you gonna leave me tonight?"

Now my lips twitch. "Not tonight," I say, lightly. "We both need a good night's sleep."


	38. Eating the Bread

**Chapter 38: Eating the Bread **

She's underneath me, burning hot in the dead doc's cold room. Her wrists are tied tight, away from her naked body. Guess I did that. Don't remember.

Been taking my time. Been kissing her breasts, slowly, lovingly, forever. Finally, she groans. Like she likes it. Goes right to my crotch. Took her long enough. Raise up, look at her face, a silly grin on my face.

The bit's between her lips. Don't remember putting it there. Or the strap buckled across her forehead. Her eyes are glazed, drugged, like they were yesterday when Toombs dragged her out of cryo and back into my life. My grin twists away.

"This is what you want for her?" Fry says. She's sitting in Jack's chair, picking at Dahlgren's picnic basket. "She had a good life. Because of you. Is she gonna be reduced to nothing but your ever so slightly reluctant fuck buddy?"

Don't answer. Kiss Jack's sweet, sweet breasts. She groans again. Don't look up this time. Kiss down her body, down her soft belly. Stroke her sides. She makes a noise again like she likes it. Fix Fry with a smug look.

"Oh, sure, she's willing to lay back and take it," Fry says. "As you SO well know, you're freakin' gorgeous." I growl at her. Jack stiffens just a tiny bit. "At least while you're still pretty. At least until you use just a leetle too much force to get what you want. At least until you show her just how big of a dick you can be."

My fingers tighten. Jack makes a scared sound, tries to shift away. Don't let her. Air pressure changes. My face feels different. Like the fucking hair is gone. And it's not pressed into Jack's naked skin any more. Huh.

Lift my head from her crotch. We're back in her tower room in Abu's castle. She's wearing that stupid white dress she wore in the video the ice-bitch showed me. The stupid white dress her little boyfriend took off oh so lovingly and oh so clumsily. Before I killed him and took his place in her sweet, sweet cunt. Before she says my name and I cum so hard I see stars.

She's tied to her princess bed Abu bought for her, once upon a time. There are flowers in her hair. The bit looks ridiculous; the tools of the merc trade into a little girl's bedroom. I take it out and set it aside. She smiles at me and I can't stop myself, I start kissing her hard, one hand tangled in her hair, the other clawing at the dress. My dick is hot and hard in pants I haven't worn since my soldiering days.

My soldiering days.

Long before New Mecca.

Long before now.

Stop kissing again, raise up, stare down at the girl. She's breathing heavy. Run my hand over my head, feel the short fuzz of the military cut.

This isn't real. She looks too fucking young in that dress, on that bed. Too fucking helpless. Too fucking calculated to push my buttons. Someone is fucking with me. Someone's been fucking with me since I left New Mecca. Someone's gonna pay for that.

Someone's watching. Stand. Turn around, pull a blade. Room's dark and there's nothing warm in it but her and me. Blink hard and shift my vision up the wavelengths. Something glints. There's a mirror, angled away. Move in front of it. There's a man looking at me. Black and silver uniform. It's me. It's not me. My uniform is dark gray and green. He's looking me up and down like I'm the comedy opener. Stab the bastard in the eye. He laughs at me as the knife comes down. The glass shatters and turns liquid in the air, splashing silver on the floor, on my uniform.

Hear a sound. Smell fear. Turn. Jack is struggling with the straps. Maybe because some crazy guy just stabbed her mirror. She's trying to dislocate her thumb, like I showed her, in this room, once upon a time, to get out of restraints. I feel proud. And something else, something shifty. Pity, maybe. Don't want her to hurt herself. Even if she's not real. Three steps, and I'm sitting next to her, stroking her fingers lovingly. "Shhh," I whisper. "Relax."

"This isn't fun anymore," she says. "Untie me?" Her voice cracks.

Don't wanna. But don't want her sad. Finger the unreal strap. The buckle is gone. Crouch next to the bed, trace the strap all the way down. It's sunk into the heavy wooden bedframe. Give it a yank. She makes a strangled noise. My head jerks up. "That hurt?" I ask. My voice rumbles in a way I was not expecting.

"Yeah," she says. "Like you were trying to stretch me to fit."

Fry laughs. I grunt. "Not my plan." Run my hand over my head. This isn't real. Abu wouldn't put a bed like that in her room. I'd kill him on this bed if I thought he had. He knows that.

He knows a lot. Knows how to push my buttons. How to make me dance. I hate that. Grind my teeth. Jack swallows, starts trying to pull out of the strap on the far side of the bed, away from me. Maybe hoping I won't notice. Sit down on the bed heavily. The knife is still in my hand. Her eyes go to it, then back up to my face. I reach across her body, take her hand. "Relax," I whisper. "Don't want you hurt. Let me."

I pass the blade through the strap around her right wrist. The knife goes through the strap like it was butter. Except the strap is still there when the knife is done. Try the other one. Same thing. Rock back.

"Guess there's a trick to it," I say.

"Yeah," Fry says. She's sitting on Jack's dresser; the one I hid a shiv and a wallet full of cash for her two weeks ago, twelve – Jesus, thirteen? – years ago. "It's a trick. But you knew that."

Yeah. I did. Jack told me. I rub my face.

A big fat drop of blood hits Jack on the cheek. She flinches. Then a second. Then a third, on Jack's pretty white dress. It's coming from the cut on my arm. I close a hand over it. She tries to wipe it off her cheek, but she can't reach her face. I lean down, lick it off. She shudders. Pisses me off.

"Oh, come on, tiger," Fry says. "You're licking the blood off her face like a monster. She's a civilized girl now; of course it creeps her out. Don't be mad."

I growl. Jack starts pulling at the straps again, trying to get the leverage to dislocate her thumb. I close my bloody fingers around her hand. "No, kid. I mean it."

"Why?" A reasonable question.

Don't have a reasonable answer. Shrug. "Just – don't think it'll work. Don't think you can get out of this without me."

She takes a deep breath. Then another. "Do you have a plan?"

Stroke her hair with my clean hand. "Working on it." Kiss her chastely on her forehead, like I did in this room, once upon a time, a week ago. Fry snorts at me. I glare at her, stand up. "Wait here," I say to Jack. Head to her little bathroom, wash the cut. Dunno why it's bleeding, except to fuck with me. Find some sealer, dab it on.

Shoulda known Jack couldn't leave it be; she's gotten her thumb dislocated by the time I'm back. She's trying to pull her wrist out of the strap, but it's just not working; the straps just adjust to fit. She's frustrated, scared, in pain. It clutches at me. Fry's at the head of the bed, looking down. "Poor kid," she says. "They've got their claws sunk in deep."

"Oh, kid," I say, softly. Sit down beside her, run my fingers over her thumb. "That's gotta hurt."

"You gonna kiss it and make it better?" Fry asks me, mock serious. Not a bad idea.

"Gonna make it better," I say. Jack makes a small, strangled noise when I slip the thumb back in joint. Poor kid. All that effort, wasted. I kiss her hand.

"Thank you," she says. There are tears in her eyes.

"No problem," I say. "Where did you get this bed, anyway?"

"Abu bought it," she says. She makes a funny noise. "Oh, shit. He has the key, doesn't he?"

I knew that. That's how I know this ain't real. Well, that and the dead lady nattering at me. And the fact this bedroom is millions of miles away. And the not-me in the mirror. Still, the words rumble from my mouth like the start of a storm. "Where is he?"

She shakes her head. "Don't kill him," she says.

I've got Johns' sawed off shotgun in my hands, pointed at the holy man. I've got knives to stab and cords to strangle. I've killed with cutlery, I've killed with teacups. It's what I'm here for. "No promises, kid."

"Please?"

The words catch in my throat. Start kissing her again, hard, demanding, back to the beginning of this dream. Hope it's a dream. She's not all that into it any more, but she's willing to lie there and let me do the work. Takes no time before I'm all worked up again.

"You really are an ass, aren't you?" Fry says. I rise up and glare at her. She's drinking fancy coffee from a fancy cup. I gave Jack whiskey in that cup.

Jack tilts her head back, looks at dead girl. Wasn't expecting that. "He's part of something," she tells Fry, seriously. "So am I. The quid and the quo. It's not all bad. At least I'll leave a pretty corpse."

I'm leaping off a cliff in the darkness.

The knife is in my hand.

I'm sinking my dick into her cooling body.

Jerk awake. Heart pounding. Dick hard. Room cold. Sit up, check the medical display above the bed. Seizure risk is up to 58%. Be strapping her down soon.

She's curled up tight, away from me. Put my hand on her back. Look over my shoulder, daring Fry to be there picking at the picnic basket. If she is, she's lying low.

Jack's still dressed in the medical scrubs I found. Right. It's cold. Lay down beside her, pull her close so we're spooning. Nestle my erection against the base of her spine. Cup a breast. Knead it slowly. She wakes up. "Riddick?"

"Yeah." I breathe into her ear. "Didn't mean to wake you."

"Liar," she says. I chuckle. She shifts against me. "More bad dreams?" She asks archly.

Press my lips into her neck, under her ear. She goes goose bumps. Gotta remember that. Tug a soft earlobe with my teeth. Breathe into her ear, softly. "Yeah. Kinda. But there were some good parts." I grind myself against her back; let my upper hand drift down between her legs.

She lies passive. Letting me do what I want. Like she did in the dream. I can work with this.

"Tell me," she says, finally.

"Mmmmm," I say. Get a hand under her shirt, finger her bare breast thoughtfully. I roll her over, get on top. The cold air from the room rushes into our little cocoon. "I was kissing your breasts." Start unbuttoning the scrubs.

"That doesn't sound so bad," she whispers.

Open her shirt. Start caressing her breasts. So glad she has them. Proof she's not that little girl any more. "You were tied down to your princess bed in Abu's little princess tower." She shivers. I start kissing down her neck. "Wearing a pretty white dress. We were kissing."

She shivers again. Keeps it out of her voice. "Did I like it?"

"Oh, yes," I say. Pull back. Smile. Hits me she probably can't see anything in the near-darkness. "While we were kissing." I run my tongue over the top of her breast, carefully, thoughtfully. Follow up with teeth, as gentle as can be. She puts her little hands on my shoulders.

"Then what?"

"Fry was there."

Her voice goes arch again. "Were we having a three way?"

"Mmm. Necrophilia," I say. She shudders. Start kissing down towards her pelvis. "No. She was just telling me all the things I was doing wrong."

"Superfun," she whispers. I'm at her belly button. Kiss it lovingly. Thrust my tongue in, just 'cause I can. Her hands are on my head, buried in the long hair. Feels weird. Rise up, hook two fingers in her pants, start easing them down. After a significant pause, she lifts her hips. I cup her buttocks appreciatively, lift her up. Just a bit. Enjoy the fact I can. Slide her pants down far enough to expose her sweet, sweet, crotch. Nuzzle her.

"I stabbed your mirror," I say. Get two fingers in her pubic hair, start playing with it. "You got all scared."

"Can't imagine why," she says. Part her outer labia carefully. Breathe over the bare skin. Her breath catches. I lick carefully, just on the surface.

"There was . . . some blood."

"Whose?" she says. "Mine?"

There's an accusation in her voice. Slide up her body, the heavy blankets sliding along my skin. "Oh, kid," I whisper, right into her face. "Mine. The cut on my arm. Opened up. Dripped on your face. You . . . did not like it."

"That sounds like me," she says. Grin. Kiss her, hard. Shift around so I can get a couple of fingers in her crotch. Not as worked up as she was this morning, but there's some wetness there. Rub her clit, maybe a little too hard. She makes a pained noise.

"Sorry," I whisper. Raise up, get on all fours, straddling her. Lean down, breathe her in. Whisper roughly into her ear, "roll over."

Her eyes lock on mine. Right. They'd be picking up the light from the display unit. I smell fear. She keeps it out of her face. Ignore it. She does what I tell her. Pull her up so she's on her hands and knees. Pull her pants down just a bit more, get my knees on them. Caress her breasts, worshipfully. Run my other hand down her spine. Follow it part way with a tongue.

Run my fingers through her crotch. She's wetter. I touch her clit as gentle as can be. She groans. Press a little harder. Rub her clit and caress her breasts until she's sopping wet.

Tease her asshole with one sopping finger. She tenses. Ease the finger in, barely. She's virgin tight. Bring my other hand down to start playin' with her clit with some new fingers. Rewarded with a rush of heat. Thrust the finger in up to the second knuckle. She goes rigid under me.

"No," she whispers. "Please."

Stop. Leave my finger where it is while I think it through. Wanna fuck that sweet ass.

Don't want her mad. Pull my finger out very slowly. Wrap my hand around my cock and squeeze, hard. Position myself at her sweet cunt and ease in. Hear myself groan as I do it.

Start playing with her clit again. Want her to cum. Want to feel it. She relaxes, shifts so her left shoulder is against the pillow, like a cat. She reaches back, between her legs, squeezes my fingers. Then her little hand creeps further, starts caressing my ball sack. I lose it again; start thrusting in hard and fast. Cum like a supernova.

When I can talk again, choke out, "holy fuck, Jack."

She don't say anything. Her hand is still on my balls. Feels fucking good. Feels like a debt to be paid. Ease her knees just a bit further apart, give myself more access. Caress her breasts with my free hand. Start rubbing her clit like I mean business. Don't take long before she's panting, thrusting herself against my softening cock.

She's not wrong. She's noisy when she cums.


	39. Do I Dare? And Do I Dare?

**Chapter 39: Do I dare? And Do I dare? **

She woke up, confused, in a cold room and an unfamiliar bed. Someone next to her was getting up, letting the chilly air rush in under the covers. As he got out of bed, dim lights played red across his hair and shoulders. _Riddick, _she thought, as her world began to slide back into its new and strange place.

As if he could hear her thinking, he looked down at her, his shine job glowing scarlet. "Hey, sleeping beauty," he whispered. "You gotta piss?"

"You old sweet talker you," she said, without raising her head from the pillow.

He snorted. "Seizure's comin'. Gonna strap you down soon. Might wanna piss first."

"Ah." The temptation to burrow deep under the blankets was strong. She sighed, sat up in the bed. He was disappearing into the dark. "Lights?" she called. Nothing happened. She ran her hands under the covers, over the seam where he lashed the two beds together, over to the lingering warmth his body had left. "Could you turn on the lights?"

He sighed like he was disappointed with her. After what seemed like a long time, a soft, dim light filled the room. She stared at him, trying hard to see Riddick in the shape in the shadows. He seemed smaller than she remembered him. She pulled herself out of the bed, shivering in the cold. He loomed closer. Larger.

"You okay, kid?" he asked, low and slow. Almost uncertain.

"Cold." She looked around, saw the bit that had been in her mouth when she woke up lying on the table. She felt a spasm of nausea. She turned away fast, padded across the floor. He fell into step behind her. "You gonna escort me to the bathroom?" she asked, archly.

"Could be monsters," he said, reasonably, sounding like Cyrus. Then he dropped his voice back down to Riddick's register. "Nasty things lurk in the dark places."

She snorted, not wanting him to know how the sound made her insides cramp. "You're not afraid of the dark, are you?"

He chuckled. "Not exactly."

She found the toilet in the near-darkness. He lurked in the shadows around the door. "Shit," she heard herself say.

"What?"

"Should have cleaned up after we – after last night."

"After we fucked?"

She blushed in the dim light. "Yeah. My pants are gooey. And now they're cold."

"We've got a refresher," he said. He came into the bathroom, squinting. He opened a small door, pulled out her dress. "This is clean."

"Thanks," she said. He crouched down in front of her, pulled at her pants with his free hand. "Hey-"

"Won't take long," he said.

She sighed. "You just really want my pants off, don't you?"

"You've discovered my evil plan," he deadpanned.

She laughed, stood, took her dress from him, and pulled it on over the shirt. He turned and shoved the pants in the refresher. She washed her hands and splashed water on her face, scooping some up to drink.

He came up behind her, ran his hand down her spine. "Not too much. Don't know how long I'll have to keep you . . . down."

She shook her head. "You enjoying the thought of me tied up, aren't you?" She took another drink, very aware of his body pressed into hers.

He nuzzled her. "Little bit." Let her go, turned to use the toilet himself. She scooted out of the bathroom, shoved the bit deep into her dress pocket, and picked up her console. Sat at the small table and started pulling up the data she was looking at last night.

Far sooner than she was ready for, Riddick was back, crouching in front of her. Like it was important that their faces be level. "Hey," he said, softly. "Whatcha doin'?"

"Trying to figure things out," she said. "Doing what I'm here for."

He stroked a hand up from her calf to her thigh. "How public spirited of you."

"Thanks," she said, doing her best to keep her voice mild. "I try."

He picked up the medical scanner, ran it over her head. "Still 89%. We got time." He stood. "Stand up."

"Why?"

Want to see what you've got," he said. He pulled a shiv from some place she had no idea one might be hiding. "Remember how to use one of these?"

"Not really," she said. "Stick the pointy end in the person you're trying to kill?"

He grunted. "That's a start. Take it."

She shook her head. "I haven't used one of those for a long time. Pretty sure it'll be more dangerous to me than any one else."

He grinned. "Let's find out. Attack me."

_Oh, that sounds like fun. _"Maybe later. Once I've got a few things figured out."

"Indulge me." He put the knife in her hand. She set the console down on the table. Still sitting, she stabbed at him. He grabbed her wrist, twisted, and the knife was back in his hand. "Stand up," he said, his voice lower.

She shook her head. "I've got things to do, Riddick."

"Just expectin' me to protect you?"

She felt a stab of anger. "Jesus, Riddick. I'm not expecting anything like that."

He leaned close, breathing into her mouth. "Really?"

She shook her head. "I might have had fantasies that you were my big bad body guard once upon a time, but I'm not 13 any more." He rocked back like she'd slapped him. _That hurt his feelings, _she thought. _I don't have time for this. _She looked down at her console, trying to pick up the threads of the technology again. _I want to throw this at him, _she realized. _Is that what he wants? To make me mad? So he feels justified in doing – _She forcibly derailed the thought. She took a deep breath and very deliberately laid the console on the table. "Sorry," she said. "That didn't come out right. I'm glad you're here. I don't understand why you are, but I don't think it's because you feel driven to protect me."

He grunted. "Why've you been carrying that shiv if you ain't expectin' to use it?"

"Something to remember you by," she said. "I really missed you."

"Here now." He offered her the knife again. "Play with me."

She shook her head. "Look, Riddick, I was happy to play mini-me to you once upon a time, but that ship sailed thirteen years ago when you did. I'm pretty sure if I pull a knife anyone here, they'll just take it from me and do something nasty."

Riddick nodded, slowly. The knife disappeared somewhere in his clothing. He stepped back, hands spread, unthreatening. "Might be right. Taught you to break holds. Remember?"

"Some," she said, cautiously. She stood. She'd barely registered he was moving before he had her pinned against him. She kicked back, trying to get him off balance. Her foot slid harmlessly across his calf. He laughed, shoved her hard face first down on the bed, one hand on the back of her neck, the other holding her right wrist up and behind her back. She kicked back hard, blindly, connecting with nothing. He twisted her wrist and lifted it up. She gasped in pain.

"You got a hand free," Riddick said, his voice low. His hand on her neck was inhumanly heavy. "Had a shiv, could do something about it. Whatcha gonna do instead?"

"Let's see," she said, muffled. "If I had a shiv I could get to, I could stab back blindly." She slapped back at him with her free hand. It was like slapping a wall. He chuckled and twisted her wrist back hard enough to make her gasp in pain again. He let her go abruptly. She rolled away from him, sat up with her back to the wall, breathing hard. His eyes went up to the medical display, then back down to her, frowning.

She kicked at him hard, aiming for his crotch. He caught her foot and pulled up hard, knocking her head against the wall. She kicked at him with her other foot and he caught that foot too, pulling her legs apart. Pulled her up against him. Somehow his hands were on her thighs, gripping hard.

He leered down at her. "Still got your hands free."

She made a fist and punched at his left kidney. It slid harmlessly across his side. "You win," she said, aiming for a lightness she did not feel.

"Hm," he said. "That mean you do what I want?"

She took a deep breath, then a second. Forced herself to relax despite her awkward posture. "Depends on what you want."

"Hmmm," he said again, letting his lips linger on the sound. He tilted his head, thoughtfully. "I can think of a few things."

She rolled her eyes. "You really want to fuck me in the ass, don't you?"

He grinned, showing teeth. "Don't knock it till you've tried it, beautiful."

"Who says I haven't?" she shot back. Fury flickered across his face, quickly stilled. _He hates thinking about me with other men, _she realized. _That's kinda scary. _She cast around for something to say. "It hurt. But maybe if we go really slow . . ."

"When . . . have . . . I . . . _ever . . . _ rushed you?" he said. His words were heavy in the air. She felt her skin prickle with something like fear. Something like disgust. He let go of her right thigh, the one closest to the wall, and began stroking the bare skin beneath her dress. The prickle turned to goose bumps. She let herself relax into it. He made a pleased sound, deep in his throat. He shifted her on the bed, settling her head on the pillow. He kissed her, lovingly. She let herself be lost herself in the kiss. _At least he wants me to want it, _she thought_. _

After a long time, he lifted his head. His mercurial eyes glinted down at her in the dim light. "I can do slow," he said. "Once we're outta here, I'll go as slow as you want."

"Once we're out of here?"

"Yeah." He put one hand on her cheek and slid it down to her breast. Kneaded it, over her clothes, slowly. "Once we're far away. Just you and me."

It was horribly tempting.

She shook her head. "And leave Helios to die? I like them, Riddick. I owe them."

His hand stilled. There was another long pause. Finally, his voice hard, he said, "they slaved you out. You owe them shit."

"When the mercs took me, last time," she said, feeling a million miles away. "Someone helped me. Someone – someone stepped up. She didn't have to. I owe her. I owe them." She stared deep into the silver of his eyes. "And if you didn't think they were good people, why did you leave me with them?"

His muscles tensed. The hand on her breast felt hard and heavy. She put her own hand on it, stroked it tentatively. His attention fixed on it, like it was a spider poised to bite. Finally, he shook his head. "I was wrong. They ain't good people. Good people wouldn't use you as leverage to get a killer to do their dirty work. Good people wouldn't threaten to send you into the dark to die screaming." He started kneading her breast again, carefully, worshipfully.

She rolled her eyes. "Thank you Captain Sunshine," she said. "Look. I'm doing this. I'd love you to be step up and be the hero. You be the hero, I'll let you fuck me in the ass whenever you want." He snorted at her, then looked thoughtful. "But –" she stopped. She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. You're right. I'm crazy." She rubbed her face. "If you're not going to help, you should go as soon as your ship's fixed, you should go. Get far away before they figure out who you are."

"That'd be smart," he said. "You drop the blast doors, and we'll be on our way.

She nodded. "I'll do that as soon as I can. But I'm not running away. So unless you're prepared to drag me out of here fighting you tooth and nail, you should just go."

He tilted his head. "Hm." His eyes went up to the medical display unit above her head. Lowered back down to her. He chewed the side of his cheek thoughtfully. "Gonna have another seizure soon."

"Already?" she said, her voice small.

"Looks like." Leaned forward, close enough she could feel his breath on her face. "Do you trust me, Jack?"

"With my life," she said, feeling lost. "Even after all these years. But not with the universe. I don't think you care about it."

He nodded. Smiled. He put his hand on her cheek. Ran it slowly down the side of her neck, slid it around to cup the back of her neck. She could feel her pulse against his fingers on her jugular. He leaned close enough she could taste his breath again. "After all these years," he whispered, like the words meant something to him.

"Yeah." She touched his face. "Should I?"

He kissed her fingers lovingly. "Probably not," he murmured into her ear. "Not good for living things." He took her right hand and pressed it to his lips. Pressed it down to the bed buckled it to the restraint. She twisted her hand, uncomfortably. He smiled down on her. "Relax," he said. "It'll be easier." He kissed her left hand and buckled it down too.

_Don't_,she thought. _Don't fight. Can't win. Not today. _

He rose up, gazed down at her with something that seemed to be love. "I almost fed you to monsters once," he said. "Thought about it."

She shook her head, trying to squelch the sudden spasm of panic.

"Back on that monster planet," he said. "Johns suggested it. Called it . . . triage."

She kept her voice steady. "That's what you two were talking about? When you went off together? When we were going in circles?"

"Mmm." He shifted, and she could feel his erection through his pants, pressed against her belly. She swallowed. He moved until his knees between hers, his hands on either side of her head. He leaned close enough she could feel the heat of his breath on her ear. "My fault. Told him you were bleedin'. Told him you were bringin' the monsters to us. Like a beacon in the dark." He settled his weight down onto the bed and kissed her throat.

She closed her eyes, tried to relax into the kiss, tried not to think about monsters ripping at her throat. He rose up and fished the forehead restraint strap from the sides of the bed, weighing the buckle in his hands. She heard her breath catch.

"This one scare you?" he rumbled.

"Yeah," she said. "They all do."

"Thought you were experienced," he said, deadpan.

"Not with being tied by someone who was kissing me - any one ever do it to you?" she said, artificially arch, trying to get some control over the situation. "Did you like it?" He grinned at her and ran his hands down her body, to the hem of her skirt. Ran them back up, inside her clothes, to her breasts. He caressed them gently, looking down at her with a slight smile. She felt a rush of heat between her legs. His smiled widened.

"No," he said, finally. "Had mercs rub up against me when I was already tied up." He pulled the bit out of her pocket. Like he'd known it was there all along. "Most of 'em are dead now. Gotta get this in before we strap down your head. Open up."

Any control she had fled. "Please, don't," she said. She hated how weak her voice sounded.

His smile slipped. "Don't want you to bite your tongue, kid. You could drown."

"Aren't you going to kill me anyway?" She said, trying to keep her voice light. "To keep me from Chillingsworth's people?"

He sighed. "Oh, kid." He leaned down. "Just relax. Trust me."

She swallowed. Unwillingly, she opened her mouth. He fit the bit in gently, worked the strap behind her head and fastened it. She felt like an idiot for not flushing it down the toilet when she had the chance. He rubbed the side of her face, reached down and seemed to stroke himself. His face shuddered for an instant. Then he strapped her forehead down to the bed, firmly.

He got up, left her field of vision. "Just lie back. Won't . . . take . . . long."

The room went dark. Only the vague red lights of the medical display were left. She strained to see, to hear, anything.

His hands were on her thighs, gently pushing them apart. He stroked her pelvis gently, making her gasp against the gag. He pressed his fingers in and up. He made a pleased noise.

"Relax," he whispered, his voice rough. "Got this."


	40. Bony Fingers

**Chapter 40. Bony Fingers**

I thrust my fingers in slowly. She groans against the bit, like she likes it. My dick comes even more painfully to attention. Why the fuck am I waiting? Oh yeah, wanted her to cum. Want her panting for me. Want her to know just how much power I got over that sweet body of hers. Twist my hand so I can thumb her clit.

Look up at the display. 96%. Shit. Hits me she's gonna bruise herself against the straps when she pops. Cools me off some. Also, don't want her seizin' while I'm fuckin' her. Well, won't take a sec, given how worked up I am.

Pull my fingers out. Her eyes roll forward, lock onto mine. Must be picking up the monitor's red lights in the dark. "Just relax," I say, again, makin' my voice a growl. She goes goosebumps. Powerful phrase. Think it scares her. Dunno why. Shift my hips, slide the pants open just enough, nearly cum in my own hand getting little me in place. Slide myself into her to the hilt. Gaze down at her. Her eyes are wide and glassy.

Hear Fry's voice in the back of my head. _Is she gonna be reduced to nothing but your ever so slightly reluctant fuck buddy? _

Shake my head. Fry's not here. Fry's never been here. Fact I keep seeing her probably says something precarious about my mental state.

But Jack's here. Jack. Right here, under me, around me. Hear myself laugh. I sound happy. Why wouldn't I be? Fuckin' the girl I love. Slip a hand under her spine, arch her just right. Thrust myself in hard and fast. Cum like a supernova.

Collapse on to her. Wanna lie here until I'm limp. Nuzzle the side of her face with my own. The strap for the bit catches on my hair. Don't like that.

Look up. Monitor says 97%. Shit. Things to do. She can cum when I'm done.

Slide down her sweet grown up body. Buckle the waist belt, pull it snug. Wipe up the goo oozing out of her cunt. Her breath catches while I do it. Smooth her dress over her thighs. Trace my fingers down her legs. Buckle the ankle straps. Run my fingers up and down the soft bottoms of her bare feet. She tries to pull them away. Probably tickles. "Sorry," I hear myself say.

She mumbles something earnest around the bit. I squeeze her feet gently, kiss the bottom of each of them. Like a mother kissing a new born babe. They're soft. Tender. Not like they were once upon a time. Like she don't go barefoot much any more.

Like she don't go barefoot much. Like she grew up wearin' shoes.

Like I loved her enough to leave her with a rich guy.

Like I love her.

Feel dizzy.

Feel _tender_.

Shit.

Stand up. Sort my clothes. Check my shivs. All ready.

Jack's breathing hard. Trying to see me, in the dark. The sweet smell of sex is fading. Changing. She know what I'm thinkin'?

She's tryin' to talk to me, 'round the bit. I blink a few times at her. The words make no sense. Run the back of my hand on her cheek. "Oh, kid," I murmur. Kiss her gently on the forehead. Turn away.

Do her now, I'm stuck here. Unless me or Nara can get the blast doors up by our lonelies.

Do Jack, gonna have to do 'em all.

Probably gonna have to do 'em all anyway. Shoulda done it already. Shoulda done it and dragged her out of here before the blast doors came down. Gettin' soft.

Go to the bathroom. Wash my hands. Splash water on my face. Stare hard into my own eyes in the mirror.

Fry's behind me. "You do this," she says, serious as a heart attack, "you're the monster they always said you were."

The face in the mirror changes. It's Johns. "Do it," he says. "Best death she could hope for. Anything else is above and beyond, bro."

The mirror shatters around my fist with a satisfying crunch. Like it's glass. But it's smart glass; it muddles around my fingers and flows back into the frame, just a little thinner. Left silver stains and pin pricks of blood on my fingers. At least Johns is gone; it's just me. With my stupid hair and bleeding knuckles.

Stalk back into the bedroom. Stupid; left the light on my back. She can see me. She's fighting the bonds like she fought them in my dream. Tryin' to dislocate her thumbs, get out of the restraints. Clutches at me. Poor kid. What's she gonna do if she gets away? Run? Like I couldn't catch her?

"Strong survival instinct," Fry says. She's behind me again. "Thought you liked that in a woman."

Snort in response. Jack alerts. Move close. "Oh, kid," I say, softly. "It's okay." Wrap my bleeding fingers around her twisting wrists. "Just relax."

She freezes. Makes a noise I could learn to hate. Sounds like despair.

"She thinks you're gonna kill her," Fry says.

"Not helping," I say.

Jack starts shaking. "Oh, kid," I say, again. "I'm sorry. I'm an asshole."

"And you will kill her," Fry says. "One way or another. 'cause stepping up and doing the right thing is right out."

I close my eyes. "Jack," I say, keeping my voice low. "Gonna make you a promise."

Open my eyes. Hers are wet, and scared, and heartbroken, and on mine. "You will not die screaming . . . because of me. Will kill you . . . if that's the only way. Not before. Today . . . today we got options."

"Oh, now _that's_ a heroic statement," Fry says.

"Love you," I say. "Know that's fucked up." Not what I meant to say. Let her go, run my hands over my head, frustrated. Turn away, pull out the contacts, slip them in. Turn the light up a bit, squint down at her. "Tried real hard to stay away from you. Knew I couldn't be good . . ."

"Oh, well. Blame the kidnap victim," Fry shoots at me. I spin around, glare at her.

"Not your fault," I say, making myself turn back to the bed without tryin' to kill a ghost. Sink to my knees. Kiss Jack's fingers. "I just . . ." I stop. "Gonna kill Abu. Told him to keep you safe. Not stake you out for monsters."

Jack's crying. Think she's having trouble getting enough air. "Jesus, you pick now to announce you're gonna kill her foster father?" Fry says, caustically. "Jesus. You really are a piece of work, aren't you?"

Mutter, "better than I oughta be." Rise up, get my face close enough to Jack's that I can feel her strained breath on my whiskers. "Jesus. Jack. We'll talk about it. I promise."

Jack takes two deep breaths, seem to calm down. Seems to be thinkin' hard. The monitor beeps. 99%. Gonna have another seizure. Because of these assholes.

Stand. Gaze down at her. "Just relax," I say, again. "It'll be easier."

Someone starts bangin' on the door.


End file.
